It Had To Be You
by SunshineTails
Summary: After being rejected as soloists in the most popular singing show on tv, a shocking twist gives four boys and four girls the chance to come back...as two groups. Relationships are made to be broken and friendships are put to the test, but who could have guessed that there was a traitor in the house? Contestshipping Oldrival/Leafgreenshipping Ikarishipping Pokeshipping
1. Chapter 1: Lifeline

Chapter 1: Lifeline

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><p>"I'm so sorry, but you're going home."<p>

Those seven words are all it takes to create heartbreak for many. Yet you don't even think. It doesnt pull at your heart strings. When you watch reality shows on TV and see so many people fall at the last hurdle, you don't even consider their feelings or how much their confidence knocks because they didn't make it. You just think "Get over it!" or "Thank god they didn't get through." and then you concentrate on the happy, talented, popular ones. The ones that did make it. Then you forget about the rejects. Everyone does it.

That is until, it happens to you.

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><p>"Oh May, cheer up honey...I hate seeing you like this." May Maple's mother Caroline hugged the teen brunette gently as she wallowed in misery at the kitchen table, her head in her hands.<p>

"Cheer up? How can I do that mom?" May snapped, angrily wiping tears away from her cobalt blue eyes.

"Don't take your anger out on me. You can sing beautifully May, don't let that competition or anybody else tell you otherwise." Caroline nodded and walked out of the room, a little disheartened that she couldn't cheer her daughter up. The house phone rang and Caroline picked it up, expecting it to be her husband Norman or one of May's friends from school.

"Hello?"

_A few cities over from Petalburg, in the Hoenn region..._

"Drew? Do you want to talk?" came a soothing voice from outside of Drew's room. He didn't care or listen to what his mom had to say and he continued to play his beloved guitar, staying in his own little world. Drew was generally an outgoing, over-confident person but ever since the singing competition SingOff turned him down, he turned to music, playing his grandfathers guitar whenever he had the chance. He wasn't about to let anything, or anyone, stop him.

"Drew? Please talk to me." She continued despite her sons obvious lack of disinterest in her.

His mother listened to the flowing music the Drew was creating and sighed heavily. This wasn't like Drew at all. A few minutes later, she walked away to answer the ringing telephone...

_Meanwhile, in a quaint place called Pallet Town in the Kanto region..._

"Aw man Ashy Boy...I can't take much more of this." The grandson of the famous Professor Oak, Gary Oak sighed and hit the back of his head on the tree he was leaning on. His friend Ash Ketchum also groaned. The sun was overpowering and their headaches were unbearable.

"Oh I know Gary...I mean it's bad enough that we got rejected, but Leaf is taking it hard." Ash ran a hand through his raven coloured hair and Gary looked at him.

"Taking it hard? Total understatement Ash! She won't stop fucking crying! It's driving me insane!" Gary growled.

"Calm down! We never should have entered that stupid competition..." Ash looked over in the direction of Leaf's house and saw her running out, she had tears flowing down her cheeks, but she looked...happy?

"What's up with her?" Gary muttered.

"You...you guys!" Leaf ran towards us but she tripped over her own feet and hurtled head first into Gary.

"Leaf!" Gary snapped, as her falling had caused him to smash his head against the tree again.

"Gary! You'll never guess what!" Leaf shakily stood up, her phone clutched in the palm of her hand.

_In the peaceful Cerulean City, a few towns over..._

"Aw Misty, don't be sad! You can't help not being amazing like us, The Sensational Sisters!" One of Misty Waterflower's sisters, Lily, simpered at her younger sister.

"You also can't help being a bad singer, it's not your fault..." Another of Misty's sisters, Violet smiled fakely at her.

Misty herself glared at Lily and Violet, and also Daisy, her third sister. She knew she could sing she knew it!

"Shut the hell up!" Misty yelled and put her head in her hands.

"Don't be so rude Misty!" Daisy smirked and walked out of the room, Lily and Violet close behind.

A few tears escaped her eyes but she wiped them away. Misty had wanted to enter the competition to show her sisters that she was talented like them, and she wasn't the waste of space they made her out to be. That backfired.

The phone began to ring and Misty reluctantly walked downstairs to answer it, as her socialite sisters had just walked out of the door.

She wondered who it might be.

_Meanwhile, up north in the faraway Sinnoh region..._

"Are you okay bro? I've never seen you look this miserable..." Paul Shinji's older brother Reggie asked as Paul was just sitting and staring at the blank TV screen.

"I'm fine." Paul grunted. He had an emotionless expression on his face, impossible for anyone to decipher.

"Whatever you say..." Reggie sighed. He should have known better than just expecting Paul to talk with him, just like that. "But I just thought you should know, I had a pretty important phone call just now."

"Hmph." was Paul's response. Reggie rolled his eyes at his stubborn brother.

"It was about that show you entered."

At that moment, Paul's eyes flickered from having no emotion to total curiosity. Reggie could also tell that Paul was trying not to convey his emotions.

_In the tiny town of Twinleaf, also in the Sinnoh region..._

"Dawn! Dawn!" Dawn Berlitz's mother Johanna called from downstairs. Dawn stopped kissing her boyfriend Lucas and sighed deeply.

"I better go see what she wants. Are you coming?" Dawn grabbed Lucas' hand after he nodded and they walked downstairs, Johanna looked blissfully happy as she cradled the house phone in her hands.

"What's up?" Dawn asked her mother, desperate to know what was going on.

"You know that singing competition you entered when the auditions came to Hearthome City?" Johanna was clearly trying to contain her excitement.

"Yeah..." Dawn sighed and clutched onto Lucas' hand. She'd entered the competition and, while she had aced her audition and the other two rounds, she didn't get put through to the live shows. But she wasn't just going to sit and mope about it.

"They want you to go to Ever Grande City in Hoenn tomorrow, along with seven other people!" Johanna beamed with pride and Dawn felt a burst of happiness inside her, along with the seven other people who, unbeknownst to Dawn, would all have a huge impact on her life at some point in the near future.

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><p>Authors note – Hey! Had some inspiration to start writing this after watching the amazing final of The X Factor. This chapter was honestly pointless and very short, but I just wanted to offer some backstory into this. Chapter 2 is where the story truly begins, so stay tuned! :) By the way feel free to leave a review as they actually do make my day. I get excited over the smallest of things. :')<p> 


	2. Chapter 2: Buzzkill

Chapter 2: Buzzkill

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><p>Replies to Reviews.<p>

**Rose Petals In My Pocket -** Aw thankyou so much! :) Sinnohshipping is so blehh, hopefully it wont last too long...xD

**PokemonSLR** - Thanks alot! Ahaha yes you were correct:') I loved it.

**Bradley8155** - Thanks! :)~

**Fprmr1** - Aww, your review made me smile! I write these stories for fun, so getting reviews like that makes me want to update my stories more! Thankyou!:)~

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I do not own Pokemon-.-

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><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

"I still can't believe this Mom! I wonder why they want me back?" I gave my Mother a hug and she giggled excitedly.

"Maybe they changed their minds? This is so exciting!" Caroline beamed. "Don't forget to call me May."

"I will!" I grinned happily at my mom, before heading out of the car. My hair was tied in a red bandana and I wore skinny jeans and a red tee with a '&' sign on it in a bold white print. I had brought my trusty guitar with me, as it was my best friend.

As I headed down to the port, I noticed a green haired boy boarding the ferry to Ever Grande City, the guitar case strapped to his back a lot like my own.

I wonder if...Nah. I'm pretty sure that he's not one of the others who got called back, I mean, what are the chances? Although from where I was standing, the guy was pretty cute.

I boarded ship and stood on the deck, looking out at the beautiful rocky waves and the beautiful sun shining from above. I paid no attention to the howling winds and took out my guitar. I started to play, and as the deck was empty I started to sing.

"Drew looks at me I fake a smile so he won't see, what I want and I need and everything that we should be.

I'll bet she's beautiful, that girl he talks about, and she's got everything that I had to live without

Drew talks to me, I laugh cause it's just so funny, that I can't even see anyone when he's with me

He says he's so in love, he's finally got it right, I wonder if he knows he's all I think about at night?

And he's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar, the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star. He's the song, in the car I keep singing, don't know why I do..."

"Nice guitar." came a voice from behind me. I instantly stopped playing and turned around, my face as red as the bandana on my head.

It had to be him, didn't it? The boy I saw earlier with the emerald hair and guitar was watching me, a casual smirk on his face.

"Who are you?" I asked, a little rudely.

"I'm Drew. Drew Hayden." he smirked.

"Drew...shit." I laughed as the song I just sang was about a guy named Drew. Well done May. "Bad song choice?"  
>"No actually. It was nice hearing a total stranger singing her little heart out about me." Drew flicked his hair cockily and I rolled my eyes. This guy was starting to annoy me.<p>

"It wasn't about you Grasshead. It's the song lyrics." I smirked back at Drew and he shook his head.

"You did not just call me that..." Drew trailed off as he didn't know my name.

"May. May Maple." I smiled sweetly.

"So where are you off to then Maple?" Drew matched my tone and I nudged his arm playfully.

"Nowhere special." I simpered, putting my guitar away. We weren't allowed to tell anybody about this apparently, and I wasn't about to take my chances.

"Hm. Tell me Maple, do you like watching SingOff?" Drew's eyes narrowed suspiciously and my mouth fell open a little. Could he be one of the others? Please no. Oh god no.

"Uh...yeah. Everyone watches it." I tried to act normal but I'm a terrible liar, I always was.

"Oh good. Now tell me, why do you have a guitar with you?" Drew folded his arms and I sighed, defeated.

"Fine you got me. I'm going to Ever Grande because I got a call from SingOff asking me to go there. They wouldn't tell me why, but they said there would be seven other people joining me...are you one of them?"

"Maybe."

Great. Just great.

"You know, you could try and be happy for me. I just got back to normal." Drew smirked, but then his smile dimmed as I think he said something he didn't want me to hear.

"What do you mean?" I asked casually, not taking my eyes away from Drew's for even a second.

"It...doesn't matter." Drew's eyes were plastered to the deck of the boat.

"It does matter. What did you mean by that?" I pressed him, but he wasn't budging.

"Drop it Maple." Drew muttered.

"You do realise that my name is May, right?" I rolled my eyes.

"Of course I do. I just choose to call you Maple."

"Why?" I asked, slightly irritated by this point.

"Because I can." Drew snickered.

"Whatever Grasshead."

"Do you wanna stop calling me that?" Drew put a hand to his cabbage-like hair pretty self consciously. Vain.

"No, I'm good." I smiled, then stuck my tongue out at Drew childishly.

"Bitch." Drew grinned wickedly and put down his guitar as I glared at him. All thoughts of me finding him cute went a long time...well fifteen minutes ago.

"Catch me if you can Maple!" Drew smiled cheekily and bolted to the other end of the deck.

"How old are you again?" I yelled in disbelief, but the temptation was too much. I gave in and chased him, like two little kids in the playground at school.

"Ugh! I hate you Drew!" I panted as I slowed down, man this boy was agile, unlike me. I collapsed on the deck near to where our guitars lay and I tried to collect my breath. Drew burst into laughter and knelt down in front of me so we were eye to eye.

"Why thank you Maple." he smiled.

"What? I just said I hated you, why would you even want to thank me?"

"Because I made you say my name." a smirk played at Drew's lips as he whispered in my ear.

"You didn't make me do anything. Also, that sounded wrong." I started to laugh, but then froze as I was sure I heard a sound from behind me. I turned around but sure enough, there was nothing there.

"It was meant to. You know, if I said that to another girl she'd probably faint with happiness or something. Not you though." Drew murmured.

"My, someone's a little full of themselves." I grinned.

"That's just how I roll Maple." Drew got up and walked towards the rails.

I walked up next to him and watched the beautiful horizon that stood beyond our reach. Truly beautiful.

"I wonder who else got picked to come back?" Drew said idly, interrupting my thoughts.

"Hm. Why did you audition for the show anyway? You don't seem like the singer type." I replied, my eyes fixed solely on the spectacular view ahead of me.

"Don't judge a book by its cover May, you'd be surprised." Drew sighed.

"Thank you Drew."

"Thank you? What for..?" Drew narrowed his jade green eyes at me again, but I continued to avert his gaze.

"Because I made you say my name." I smirked, my eyes darting to Drew's to get a reaction.

"You little...dammit." he scowled at me.

I picked up my guitar case as we'd finally reached Ever Grande City. Although the Hoenn region is my home, I've never been to this place before, and I had no idea why, the place was absolutely stunning.

**^Leaf's POV^**

"I'm so excited! I knew they'd want me back, I totally knew it!" I clapped my hands happily and Ash and Gary both groaned in sync with each other. What is their problem?

"It's not just you Leaf, they wanted us back too." Ash sighed.

"Of course they wanted me back, I am an awesome singer after all, and not to mention a skilled scientist." Gary boasted and I sighed.

"It doesn't make sense though, the final 10 for the live shows have already been decided, we watched it on TV! So why are we going to Hoenn again?" Ash asked, being the total buzzkill that he is.

"Who cares! I'm gonna be on TV!" I grinned happily and Gary groaned. By now, we'd earned a few glares from the people around us. Obviously not my fault. I checked my iPhone and it was 6:48pm.

What a day.

First it started out with me getting that phone call, and then before I knew it; Gary, Ash and I were jetting off to some city in Hoenn from the Vermillion Airport back home.

I looked out of the plane window absentmindedly and the sunset beyond the horizon was magnificent. Something the boys would never understand. Hoenn's looking pretty good to me so far.

"Hoenn's a nice place, don't you think Leaf?" Gary leaned over to see out of the window.

"Yeah. It's beautiful..." I sighed, content. Ash had just fallen asleep, quietly snoring. It was pretty cute.

"It seems old Buzzkill here is asleep. Finally." Gary smiled smugly. 'Buzzkill' was the latest nickname that Gary had come up with for Ash, and it's starting to catch on. Even I say it sometimes.

"Don't be so mean, he only tries to look out for us." I defended the snoring teen.

"I will be mean. He's an idiot."

"You're an idiot."

As soon as Gary opened his mouth to talk, he was interupted by a message from the pilot, telling the passengers to put their seatbelts back on, as the plane was about to land.

A couple of minutes later, the plane started to gradually fall downwards, and Gary's face was a total picture. He hated every second of landing. I just laughed the whole way through, and Ash...well, he slept through it.

Typical.

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><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - Yayah, I'm back! I decided to update because...well I dont really know to be honest. Maybe because it's snowing outside. I hope I got the lyrics right, that song just seemed so fitting for May. Please Review because they make me want to update even more. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

:)~


	3. Chapter 3: Just Friends

**Chapter 3: Just Friends.**

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><p>Replies to Reviews.<p>

**LuvAllPokemon - **Aw, Leaf's just a little drama queen, that's how I picture her to be:') I also know what you mean, I'm writing this story on the notes app on my iPod Touch, and it makes the story seem long when I type it on there, and when I post it on here it tends to look shorter, so annoying-.- This chappy is definitely longer than the last one though...I think. :)

**LoveLoverGirl - **Thanks:) Ehehehe I plan to make it fun and interesting:')

**Fprmr1 - **Awww the cute scenes are the best aren't they? I decided I had to have May meeting Drew before any of the others because well...I just love those two xD Thanks! :)~

**PokemonSLR - **Yayah! It is THE Contestshipping song isnt it? I wanted May to sing it, but I had to put it in there before she met Drew, hence why it was in the last chapter. and yeah, we did have snow. Now it's just rain and ice-.- It never lasts long enough :)~

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><p><strong>Disclaimer - <strong>I do not, and never will own Pokemon. I wouldn't be writing fanfiction otherwise xD

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><p><strong>^Leaf's POV^<strong>

"Oh god...Gary I'm scared!" I whimpered and clutched onto Gary's wrist on the way to the arena in Ever Grande. Gary, Ash and I were in a posh looking car that the SingOff people sent for us. But for some reason I was terrified!

"Chill out Leaf! God!" Gary replied moodily, taking his iPod out of his pocket and turning the music he was listening to up louder. I could hear the sound of music coming out of his earphones as he turned away from me and faced the window.

For some reason, Gary has been totally annoyed with me...

_Flashback..._

"Wow! This room of ours is freakin' huge!" Ash looked around the room that the three of us were staying in and squealed like a little child. I personally think he still is one.

"There are three rooms actually." I hastily corrected Ash and ran into the only bedroom, all of my stuff with me.

"Where are you going?" Gary asked and followed me.

"This is my room!" I announced.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Gary whined as I lay down on the huge double bed, exhausted after the long day and the flight over here.

"Uh...Ash! Where are you sleeping?" I raised my voice.

"On this cute little bed in here!" Ash replied from the huge room. I managed to heave myself off of the bed, walked out of the bedroom and up to Ash.

"And where's Gary going to sleep?" I hissed at Ash.

"With you." Ash replied, sounding pretty dense right about now.

"Uh, what?" Gary came up from behind me and yelled. I let out a little shriek and jumped as the tone of his voice scared me.

"I am not sleeping in the same bed as her!" Gary calmed down a little, but he was still protesting.

"Thanks." I muttered sarcastically. Gary can be so insulting at times!

"It's either that or the floor." Ash smiled and Gary quietly growled.

"Fine."

Fifteen minutes later, I was changed and lying in bed, scrolling through tweets on my iPhone. Gary was next to me, still pretty unhappy about the sleeping arrangements. I personally didn't care.

"I'm tired." I whispered.

"Go to sleep then." Gary muttered.

"I'm cold." I spoke and Gary sighed. "Can I have a hug?"

"No." he turned over and I hugged him from behind anyway, dropping my iPhone. He's pretty fun to tease.

"Jesus Leaf! You're freezing!" Gary flinched.

"I told you..."

Gary glared at me once more and his eyes started to close. I could tell he was exhausted like I was. I sighed and closed my own eyes, drifting off into my own little dream world for a few precious hours.

**The next morning...**

In the morning that followed, I awoke early and my mind was hazy. The first thing I saw was Gary. Then I realised that my head was lolling against his shoulder and my hand was resting on his chest. Shit, how did that get there?

Gary suddenly awoke, causing me to automatically close my eyes again to avoid the sheer awkwardness of this situation.

I heard him exhale sharply, but I noticed that he was doing nothing to change the position I was unluckily frozen in right now. Great. I may aswell get it over with.

I daintily opened my eyes, feigning that I had only just awoken. I yawned and moved my hand from Gary, who didn't even seem to notice it was there in the first place.

"Hey..." I yawned.

"Did you leave the window open last night?" Gary narrowed his eyes and shivered uneasily.

"That's why I was so cold! Why was it open?" I asked.

"I have no idea." Gary asked and got up, closing the window. A shiver suddenly fell down my spine.

_End of Flashback..._

"You'll be just fine Leaf, don't go all drama queen on us." Ash reassured me.

"Hey! I'm not a drama queen!" as those words escaped my mouth, Gary smirked to himself and shook his head.

"Sure you're not." Gary grinned, taking the earphones out and wrapping them around his iPod.

"I thought you were mad at me." I scowled.

"I'm not mad, but you can be so annoying!"

"I'm not annoying, am I Ash?" I opened my eyes wider and batted my eyelashes at my raven haired friend, flashing a cute smile. He laughed awkwardly, scratching his head.

"Oh! Uh...No? "

"Ash you little ass kisser! That was your chance!" Gary hissed in Ash's ear, but it wasn't quiet enough.

"Shut up." Ash glared at Gary who happily shrugged him off.

Meanwhile I was staring out of the car window, at the meadows filled with the most beautiful arrays of flowers twinkling in the morning sun. I sighed happily at the picturesque views, until I snapped back to the reality of Gary and Ash's stupid argument.

"You guys, please!" I yawned loudly.

"Did you not get much sleep last night Leaf? Don't say I blame you." Ash asked, casually smirking at Gary. Ash wasn't usually cocky at all, but I noticed he was trying to gain the upper hand against Gary in their pathetic argument. Note to self; Boys are so stupid.

Gary growled under his breath but said nothing.

"No comeback I see? Alrighty then."

"You were talking to Leaf, not me you idiot!"

"Shut up!" I yelled and both Ash and Gary looked at each other for a brief moment and smiled.

"Ashy Boy, can I have a hug?" Gary whined.

"...Okay!"

Ash took off his seatbelt and literally pounced on Gary, thank goodness the driver of this car couldn't see us.

"Love you bro!" Gary spoke in a high pitched, girly tone.

I couldn't take my eyes away from my two best guy friends, they're so stupid! For reasons completely unknown to me, I burst into uncontrollable laughter and I couldn't breathe.

"Leaf! Ruining the bromance here!" Gary snapped.

"What's a bromance?"

"Shut up Ash." Gary and I spoke in unison. I know I keep repeating myself but he is so stupid! Suddenly, the car stopped in its tracks and Ash went flying off of Gary and into me. Man that hurt...

That kids, is why you should wear a seatbelt.

"We're here!" Gary got out of the car and Ash and I followed. The arena in Ever Grande was magnificent.

As we walked inside, there were cameras and reporters everywhere taking pictures of us. I smiled cutely at the cameras to create a good first impression but Gary was so posing! Ash just stomped past them all.

"Ah you three! Great, the other five are here already, we have news for all of you." one of the producers for the show lead us into a conference like room. The three judges for SingOff were there, plus the five mystery people. Ash, Gary and I sat down in one of the three remaining seats. On my left, there was a girl with pretty, orange hair tied up in a side ponytail. She looked at me and smiled, I smiled back. This girl looked really familiar...

On my right, there was a grim looking boy with plum coloured hair. He seemed like a bit of a dark horse, somebody who doesn't reveal too much about his life. Unlike me.

"Now all of you, I'm pretty sure you want to know what's going on." The first judge Keira smiled. I think she used to be a pop star herself, I couldn't quite remember.

"Well yeah." a green haired boy sitting behind me bluntly stated. He was kinda cute...

"Well you made it to the third and final stage of bootcamp, and then you got sent home."

"Yeah..." a girl nearby me with beautiful blunette locks sighed.

"Well, we want you all back in the competition." the judge sitting next to Keira, Dexter, smiled at us.

All of our faces instantly lit up.

"But don't you have enough people already?"

"Ash!" Gary hissed.

"Yes...we have enough solo artists, and we need groups." the final judge, Jordan, spoke.

"We want the four boys and the four girls to form two groups for the competition, It's a little experiment we want to try. You don't have to do it if you don't want to." Keira said kindly.

"I'm in." Gary grinned almost immedietly.

"Me too!" Ash smiled.

"Now I don't know you, but are you guys in?" Gary asked the other two guys.

"I'm in, I don't see why not." the green haired boy shrugged.

"Sure." the purple haired boy spoke with a tiny grin on his lips.

I looked around at the other girls, there was the orange haired girl, the blunette girl, and another girl wearing a distinctive green bandana.

"What about you girls?" Dexter asked us.

"Okay!" I grinned.

"Why the hell not?" the girl with the side ponytail smiled.

"This is going to be awesome!" the girl wearing the bandana threw her fist into the air and the blunette giggled.

"Yes!" she beamed.

"You'll be staying in the Sing Off house while you're in the competition; you all know how this competition works, right?" Jordan asked.

"Yeah, you have to write a song each week you're in the competition, and then if you win you get an album with the songs you wrote and performed on the show, right?" said Ash. Wow.

"Spot on Ash, now we'll take you all to the SingOff house and you can meet the other contestants!"

Gary got up and began to walk out of the door, the other three boys behind him. Ash and the green haired guy were talking to each other like they'd been friends forever. Gary gave me a (kind of) smirk as he waltzed past. The blunette nudged my arm.

"He likes you."

I started to laugh. "No, you don't understand, Gary, Ash and I are close friends...uh," I smiled, but trailed off at the end as I didn't know her name.

"Close friends huh. I'm Dawn Berlitz by the way; it's great to meet you!" Dawn flashed a cute smile.

"I'm Leaf, Leaf Green!" I matched Dawn's tone and she smiled warmingly.

"I'm May Maple, and I'm so excited right now!" The brunette giggled excitedly, she seemed wholesome and very down to earth.

"And I'm Misty Waterflower. It's such a relief to know none of you are complete bitches. I could do without more of them." Misty grinned, her cobalt blue eyes shining. "By the way Leaf, which ones were Ash and Gary?"

"The one with the black hair is Ash, and the annoying spiky haired one is Gary." I rolled my eyes when I said Gary's name and Dawn grinned mischievously. As we had to get back to the car, we stood up and began to walk.

"So who were the other two guys?" I asked and the girls looked at me blankly. Then May spoke up.

"Drew's the one with the green hair, I met him on the boat over here." she smiled.

"Boat? Why didn't you fly over?" Dawn asked.

"There's no need to, I live here in Hoenn." May laughed. "As does Drew, I guess."

"Oh right..! I'm from Twinleaf Town, in the Sinnoh region. So far away..." Dawn smiled at May as they continued their conversation. Meanwhile Misty and I walked behind them.

"Wow! So the Sensational Sisters are your actual sisters? I thought you looked familiar." I smiled at Misty, who didn't smile back. Something wasn't right.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, concerned. Misty blinked a couple of times and smiled at me very unconvincingly.

"I'm fine."

I decided not to reply as I didn't want Misty to feel upset. I tend to speak my mind most of the time, a trait I picked up from Gary. The four of us sat in the car and it sped off, heading to what is going to be our home for the next couple of months.

"This is so exciting!" Dawn squealed happily and we joined her. This is crazy! I don't know these girls at all, but right now I feel on top of the world to be with them right now.

"We have got to work so hard this week, but we can do it!" May grinned happily. Misty had completely cheered up, thank goodness. I hate seeing people upset like that.

The car slowed down outside one of the biggest buildings I had ever seen, honestly I was dumbfounded. Growing up in such a small town like Pallet, everything is so little and compact. The highest floor in a house for me is the second. This house had about five. It was a whole new level for me.

"Lets go! I can't wait to meet everyone." I smiled and opened the car door, getting our stuff. I lead the others out and into this mansion infront of us. I still couldn't believe the size of this place!

I knocked on the door and I could hear loud footsteps bounding towards  
>us.<p>

"Heya Leaf!" Gary threw open the door, slightly startling me. I could tell he was either seriously hyper, or he was just ecstatic. Or maybe even both. He effortlessly picked me up and flung me over his shoulder. A few hours ago he was so mad at me, but now he seemed alright. Thank god.

"Gary!" I yelled. "Put me down!"

Meanwhile, the girls were in stitches laughing and many of the other contestants appeared, seeing what on earth was going on. I saw three very uninviting faces glaring at us, but maybe we were being a little annoying. Who cares! Gary marched into the spectacularly huge living room and Drew and Ash, who were sitting on the sofa, looked up in amusement.

"Move it guys!" Gary yelled. After they moved out of the way, Gary tossed me onto the sofa head first. I was screaming and laughing hysterically at the same time.

"Are you okay Leaf?" Misty laughed.

"I'm fine Mist!" I smiled brightly, standing up and nearly falling over again. "I hate you Gary." I scowled, moving my hair away from my face.

"Gee thanks Leaf. Nicest thing you've ever said to me." Gary smirked.

"What's going on in here?" two girls walked into the room. One of them had pretty peach coloured hair, the other had sky blue hair, quite striking.

"Hi!" Dawn grinned.

"Hey there. We all heard this morning that two new groups would be coming into the competition, you all seem so nice!" the peach haired girl smiled sweetly.

"You're Solidad right?" Misty smiled at her. "And you're Marina! I remember seeing you audition for the show."

"Scariest thing ever." Marina said.

"Don't we know it." Drew smiled cockily at her, sitting on the floor.

"We better go get our stuff, we kind of left it in the hall." Misty yawned and walked towards the hall with Dawn. May walked into the room, sitting down next to me.

"It's good to see you again Maple." Drew smirked and looked up at the brunette sitting next to me.

"Likewise Grasshead." she grinned.

"Grasshead? What a cute nickname!" I smiled and Drew rolled his eyes. "It's really, really not."

"Guys! Little help here!" Misty screamed from the hallway.

"Does she mean us or you?" I frowned at Gary, Ash and Drew who were sitting on the floor.

"Who knows? Let's go see what she wants." Gary got up, followed by the other two guys. May was about to stand up too but I grabbed her arm.

"Sit down May, let them do it." I smiled. "I have something to ask you."

"Sure." she sat back down. Solidad and Marina had long since left the room, leaving May and I alone.

"Do you like Drew?" I, being the blunt person that I am couldn't resist a little tease here and there.

May's face flamed red. "Uh...no! He's so cocky, ugh!" her face screwed up in disgust. "What about you and Gary?" she bit her lip and laughed. Now it was my turn to flush crimson. That's the second time now somebody's asked me if I like him! We're just friends!

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><p><strong>Authors Note -<strong> Hiya, me again! I really enjoyed writing this chapter because of all the cute moments:') I'm dedicating this week to eating chocolate, watching WWE and christmas related films and trying to upload whenever I can. If I made any mistakes spelling wise, correct me 'cause I didn't get chance to go over this and correct any mistakes. Please leave a review as they make me smile! :)~


	4. Chapter 4: Battle of the Bands

Chapter 4: Battle of the Bands.

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><p>Replies to Reviews.<p>

**LoveLoverGirl **- Oh I know, I never did manage to find a good way to end that chapter so I ended up finishing it with Leaf's complaining. I'm so lazy. xD

**Fprmr1**- Aw thanks so much! I know right, it is painstakingly obvious but the girls are too blind to see it right now. Plus I want to add more way more cute scenes in this story before anything happens:')

**iamRAWRkaythanks**- Aw thanks, glad you like it! Nope, I don't plan on giving it up anytime soon cause this story is really fun to write:) God, I don't know what I'd do without my iPod xD

**Bradley8155**- Yay for reviews!:') And my answer to your question is yup! Slight Ikari in this chapter (I couldn't wait any longer to write it) so enjoy! :)~

**PokemonSLR**- Yeah, May and Leaf are very observational like that. xD Ash's dense personality makes me laugh sometimes, it's like he's totally oblivious to everything. There's some Ikari in this chapter and maybe a tiny tiny little bit of Pokeshipping too, but when I read it back I saw there were more Egoshipping moments...ah well.

**SYKpop7**- Aw thanks so much, that's really sweet. I try my best! :)~

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><p><strong>Disclaimer -<strong>I do not own Pokemon. If I did then Penguinshipping would cease to exist.

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><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

"Nearly there!" Misty yelled, pushing with all her might. It had taken us ten minutes to get Leaf's damn suitcase up the stairs, and even now we hadn't completely managed it.

"Dawn! What the hell is in this thing?" Gary and Drew yelled from behind us. Aw poor boys. Misty asked (forced) them to carry the heaviest suitcase upstairs which just so happened to be mine. She's such a great friend.

"Where are May and Leaf?" I asked Misty, completely out of breath.

"I...have no idea. We're the ones carrying their crap up the stairs!" she growled. Suddenly, Gary just snapped.

"Fuck this shit!" he scowled. I watched in horror as Gary kicked my pink suitcase, but I started to laugh as he'd hurt his ankle.

Haha. Karma's a bitch hedgehog!

"Sheesh man! Calm down!" Drew slapped Gary across the head and carried on pulling the case. Misty and I threw Leaf's suitcase on the landing. Then I collapsed on the suitcase.

"What took you guys so long?" came a chirpy voice. I lifted my head to see Ash, another one of the guys, stood on the landing and leaning on two suitcases which I'm guessing belonged to Misty and May.

"What? How did you..." Misty spluttered, completely breathless.

"I'm Superman!" Ash happily announced, jumping up and down.

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Gary smirked from behind Misty and I.

"Heh...I'm not really Superman Gary, I can't believe you fell for it!" Ash laughed and Gary groaned loudly, slapping his forehead. "I got Brock here to help me out." a tall male with extremely narrow eyes and spiky brunette hair came out of the bedroom.

"Hi there!" I smiled.

"Hi. I'm guessing you're all part of the two new groups I heard about?" Brock smiled.

"Uh, hello? Remember us down here? Move it!" Gary and Drew protested. Misty and I giggled before we moved out of the way. Misty, Ash, Brock and I stood and watched Drew and Gary heave my heavy suitcase and throw it on the landing. We heard cheers and applause from downstairs.

"Well done you weaklings!" May's taunting voice echoed around the house.

Drew angrily turned around. "I'd like to see you move that thing!" he yelled down to the girls, who in turn just laughed at him.

"Thank you so much guys!" I flashed my best smile at Gary and Drew who just glared at me. Then I turned around, only to walk straight into a guy. Embarrassing!

"Oh! Sorry..." I giggled nervously. The purple haired boy I walked into just glared at me. How rude!

"Troublesome..." he muttered as he walked past me.

"Troublesome? Me?" I yelled, so annoyed with this guy right now. Who the hell does he think he is? Man I miss Lucas right now...

"Aw Paul, don't be such a grouch!" Ash grinned.

"Whatever." Paul gave me a dismissive look, and that angered me even more.

"Ignore him." Misty whispered into my ear as I felt on the total verge of explosion. I nodded at her and picked up my suitcase, glaring at Paul as I walked by.

I could hear Gary and Drew sniggering behind me and since I decided to be the mature one, I ignored them both. Leaf and May bounded upstairs, grabbed their stuff and followed us into the gigantic room that the four of us would be sharing for the next few months. May slammed the door shut and the four of us just sighed.

"That was total madness." Misty sat down on the bed nearest to her. "By the way, this bed is mine."

"I know right? It honestly hasn't sunk in yet that I'm back, that we're all back!" I smiled happily. By now it was getting late, and we settled down. I delved into my case and took my laptop out of it.

"I'm so tired..." May yawned, sitting on the end of the bed that she had chosen. She opened a guitar case that I presumed was hers, and then she took out the beautiful instrument inside, slowly running her fingers down the wood. She began to play a small tune and I stared in amazement. I glanced over to Leaf and Misty to see their reactions but they were just entranced by the softness of the melody.

A couple of minutes later, May's hands stopped playing and Misty began to clap, with Leaf and I joining in.

"You don't have to applaud you know..." May smiled coyly.

"We wanted to. What tune was that anyway?" Leaf asked.

"It was...one I wrote a while back."

"You wrote that song?" I asked and May nodded.

"Would we be able to use it for this weeks performance? Pretty please?" Misty asked May, a hopeful expression on her face.

"You haven't even heard the whole song yet." May laughed.

"I know already that the lyrics are gonna be good, that melody just told us the whole story. But could you sing it for us?" Misty replied and May looked a little startled.

"You really want me to?" she asked wistfully.

"Go for it chicka." Leaf smiled encouragingly.

A few minutes later May sung the last note and put down her guitar, I could see her hands slightly shaking.

"That was beautiful!" Misty gushed.

"Please please please can we use it for our first performance? It's such a sweet song!" I asked, and May laughed.

"Thank you so much! Of course we can sing it...if you want to obviously."

This girl had no idea how talented she actually was, it was kinda frustrating in a way. May's voice definitely had a Country and Western twang to it, it sounded so pure and elegant.

"So now that I've sung, why don't one of you sing something?" May grinned.

"It's okay! I'll save the singing for tomorrow!" Leaf smiled coyly.

"Don't be such a wuss Leaf!" I teased.

"I'd be careful Dawn, I can easily go find that Paul guy for you. I know you want to see him." Leaf smirked, the look on her face a striking resemblance of Gary. Really, really weird.

"That's unnecessary." I shrugged, refusing to think about Paul. Stupid stupid Paul. Time to turn the tables.

"Sure it is. Are you sure that Gary and yourself are just 'friends'? Answer truthfully!" I continued to tease Leaf simply because it was fun.

"We're just friends! What is this, truth or dare?" Leaf answered, clearly unamused. She picked up her iPhone and stared at it like it was the most interesting piece of technology in the world.

"Hey do you hear that?" Misty muttered, looking up from the magazine she'd been reading.

"Hear wha...yeah I hear it. Or should I say, hear them." Leaf muttered to Misty. She got up and tiptoed to the door, signalling for us to be quiet. She grasped her hand around the door handle and counted to 3. Leaf then threw the door open and three very guilty boys fell onto the floor, one on top of the other. Paul just stood behind the three of them smirking. He had an 'I told you so!' look on his face.

"Uh...hey." Ash winced as he was at the bottom of this pile up. Misty just threw her magazine at him. She turned around to grab my laptop but I swiftly moved it out of her reach.

"What were you doing just now?" Leaf glared at them, her stare intimidating.

"Oww..." Ash groaned, rubbing his head with his free hand.

"Which one of you was singing?" Gary, as he was at the top of the pile up, got to his feet and the other two did the same. Paul stepped into the room. I felt his cold stare boring into me but I refused to give him the satisfaction of a glance back.

"May. Why?" said Leaf.

"I knew it was her! I told you!" Gary raised his fist in the air  
>triumphantly.<p>

"Gary you liar! It was was me who said it was May. You said it was Leaf!" Drew sniggered.

"You thought I was singing? Gary you've known me since well...forever! That's something that Ash would say, doofus!" Leaf started to laugh.

"What?"

"Shut up Ash." Leaf and Gary spoke in unison.

"Any other reason you guys are here?" Misty got up and stood next to Leaf.

"Uh...nope." Ash scratched his head.

"That's good. Now you can leave." Misty walked towards the boys and started to push them out of the room one by one.

"Get off me Ginger! I have legs!" Gary growled at Misty.

"Well you don't seem to be using them!" Misty laughed as she threw Gary out of the room, violently pushed him into Ash, Drew and Paul and slammed the door shut.

"Those boys are nothing but trouble." Misty sighed and leant against the door, taking her hair down from that side ponytail of hers.

"You look so pretty with your hair down." I complimented and Misty just rolled her eyes.

"So I was ugly before." she smirked.

"Of course not! On Saturday, your hair has got to be down." I smiled.

"I'll think about it." Misty shook her head dismissively and walked into the en suite bathroom attached to our room.

"I just thought of something." Leaf spoke, sitting cross legged on her bed. "We don't have a name for our group!"

"You're right!" May exclaimed. "We need to think of a name before tomorrow."

"I have an idea, what about something to do with...uh...flowers?" I suggested, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"Flowers? Why?" May bit the bottom of her lip and moved some hair out of her face.

"I don't know...it was just an idea."

"Hmm...what's your favourite flower?" Leaf asked us both, curiousity in her maroon coloured eyes.

"Uh flower?...I kinda like roses." May replied.

"I think a Lily is a nice flower." I smiled.

"I know, what about Tiger Lily for our name?" Leaf smiled.

"Yeah, that's so cute!" I grinned.

"What's cute?" Misty had just emerged from the bathroom.

"What about Tiger Lily as our group name?" May asked her and strangely enough, Misty looked completely horrified.

"No!" she blurted out. We all looked at her with confused expressions on our faces. "...uh...I don't like Lillies!"

"You don't like Lillies." I repeated back, not really believing those words at all. Misty was hiding something.

"Fine we won't have that, what about Tiger Rose instead?" Leaf tried to steer the subject away.

"Tiger Rose...I like it!" May beamed.

"Yeah me too. I'm so tired. It's midnight, and we have to be up by seven. I'm gonna get some sleep." Misty smiled half heartedly at us. I still can't help but feel that she's hiding something though...

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><p><strong>[-Drew's POV-]<strong>

_Over with the boys..._

"I can't believe she just slammed the door on us! Stupid Ginger!" Gary muttered, still clearly angered at Misty's actions.

"Don't be so hard on her Gary, we shouldn't even have been there." Ash smiled.

"You're way too understanding! Seriously, get some backbone Ash!" I shook my head in disbelief. That kid really was something.

"I told you guys before that they'd find us out." Paul tutted, smiling darkly.

"Yeah yeah Paul, I know you secretly wanted to do it. I saw you staring at that Dawn girl before, don't even try lying to me." I smirked at Paul, wiping the smug look off his face.

"I wasn't." he hissed.

"Why wouldn't you stare at her, she's hot!" Gary shrugged. The three of us sweatdropped.

"Whatever. Let's just get back to our room." Paul walked ahead of us and swung open the door. Our room was just down the hallway from the girls room. I checked the time and it was 00:34. To hell with sleep. I yawned and scratched my head, sitting down on my bed. I took out my Blackberry and scrolled through a ton of 'congratulations on getting to the live shows!' messages on my facebook wall. I don't even know most of these people!

"I wanna go for a run." Ash said. I dropped my phone on my lap and just stared at the kid.

"Ash. It's dark and it's fucking raining. Why would anybody go for a run at midnight?" Gary sighed at his best friend and facepalmed. It's weird. Sometimes Ash can be a total killjoy and as boring as hell, and then other times he's so weird and he just talks utter crap like this midnight running thing.

Then came an amazing idea.

"Midnight Run!" I exclaimed.

"What?" Gary screwed up his face in confusion.

"Wouldn't that would be an awesome name for our group? Midnight Run!" I explained and Ash smiled happily.

"Yeah! I like it!" he grinned.

"Me too." Paul agreed, smiling. If Paul liked it, then it must be good.

The three of us looked at Gary, Ash even gave him the puppy dog eyes. He eventually caved.

"I'll admit it. Just this once though! That is an awesome name." Gary said and held up his hand, then I slapped it.

"Can I still go?" Ash asked.

"Go where?" Paul rolled his eyes. I think he was annoyed with himself for asking that question, as he already knew what the answer was going to be.

"Nobody's running anywhere, shut the hell up!" Gary complained.

"I'm sleepy." Ash yawned and lay down. Gary, Paul and I just stared at him awkwardly. A few minutes later, a very irritating noise started to come from Ash. I clenched my fists.

"Are you kidding me? He snores?" I groaned and Gary nodded.

"You get used to it...eventually." he sighed.

"This is just great." I collapsed on my bed, grabbing a pillow and putting it over my ears.

"You look like a spoilt little kid who didn't get the toy he wanted." Gary laughed and I kicked my right leg out in pure frustration and it connected with another leg nearby. Take that Gary!

"Ow!" Paul's dark voice sounded spiky almost. Wow, a spiky voice...what a strange guy.

Crap. Paul!

"Sorry Paul...thought you were Gary." I shrugged and sat up.

"Thanks Draw." Gary scowled.

"Draw? Don't ever call me that again." I threatened Gary, who in turn just laughed in my face.

"Sorry, I tend to give nicknames to people I like. You should be honoured." Gary grinned.

"Oh really. What's that Leaf girl's nickname then?" I challenged Gary.

"Oh snap!" Paul sniggered, clearly amused. I think he was enjoying this conversation.

"Oh haha Draw, you're hilarious. She doesn't have a nickname."

"Why not? I thought you liked her?" I teased and Gary's scowl turned into a full on glare.

"No." Gary replied moodily, stomping off to the bathroom. I lay down on my bed and sighed, content.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?

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><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - This chapter was so cute to write! Ich liebe Ikarishipping! My third favourite shipping too:3 Some people were asking about this, so I added a couple of moments in here, although there will be plenty more in the upcoming chapters. Sorry if any of the characters appeared to be a little OOC, I'm not perfect:) Also, please Review if you have the time, I love reading and responding to them! :)~


	5. Chapter 5: Electric Heart

Chapter 5: Electric Heart

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><p><strong>Replies to Reviews.<br>**  
><strong>Fprmr1<strong>- One more pwetty pwease and I'll think about it xD I'm kidding, there's some CS in this one, but there's also a lot of another shipping in here. One that I happen to hate very much, but I forced myself to write it:')

**Bradley8155**- Ahaha thanks alot, I try my best:) And you're very welcome! I love writing the A/N at the end because I tend to write the first thing that comes to mind xD

**pokemonSLR** - Hehe! Aw thankyou for that, I spent waaaay too long thinking about those names, cause I'm a total perfectionist and they had to be right-.- Trust me, I'd love to reveal the song but...even I don't know what it is yet xD I'll have to think about that one. :)~  
><strong><br>LuvAllPokemon**- I think you're right. When I read the last chapter back after reading your review, I did think it seemed a little rushed, but ah well:)

**Missy**- This review made me smile! xD Thanks, that's so sweet of you. I added that bit in last minute because I thought it was time that Gary got a taste of his own medicine for a change xD

**contestshippinggirl**- Aww thanks so much!:) Ahaha I loved writing it to be honest. I found the inspiration to write half of the last chapter at midnight, of all times-.-

**LoveLoveGrl** - Thankya:-) I'm glad you're enjoying it! :)~

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><p><strong>Disclaimer -<strong> I'll let Leaf do it.

"SunshineTails does not own Pokemon! If she did, I would totally have a part in the anime!"

:)~

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><p>"Morning!" Ash's deafening voice pierced through my ears, ugh. I grabbed the covers and threw them over my head. I'm normally a morning person...but not today. I had about three hours worth of sleep thanks to Ash and his awful snoring.<p>

"Don't try and hide Drew!" Ash yelled. I sighed and looked at my phone. 7:40. Ouch.

"I'm getting up, god!" I replied moodily and yawned loudly. I sat up in bed and looked amusedly at Ash attempting to wake Gary up.

"Rise and Shine!" Ash grinned as Gary groaned.

"Get outta' my face Ashy-boy!" he snarled angrily.

"But you need to wake up!" Ash protested.

"Don't care. Tired." Gary continued to ignore Ash. He sighed and signalled for Paul, who was already awake, and myself to come over. I forced myself out of bed. This better be good. Ash threw the covers away from Gary and Paul and I had to drag him out of his bed. Which wasn't exactly easy, you know?

Eventually, after a girlish tantrum, Gary got up and we all changed and went downstairs since Ash could smell food. Yeah, that was partly the reason he woke us all up. Since I don't eat in the mornings, I walked into the living room and started to absentmindedly flick through different channels on the television. I was so tired, I didn't even notice three pretty girls come up to me.

"Hi." one of them smiled sweetly.

"Hey. Who are you three?" I asked.

A cute girl with light reddish coloured hair beamed at me. "I'm Brianna! And these two are Melody and Veronica, our group are called Electric Heart. It's so nice to meet you..." Brianna gushed. She seemed really sweet.

"I'm Drew." I flashed a smile and Brianna's cheeks reddened.

"We're going to go get some food Bri, are you coming?" Veronica asked Brianna, flicking some of her blonde hair out of her face.

"Uh...no I'm good!" Brianna smiled and the other two left the room.

"So where are you from?" she asked.

"LaRousse City in Hoenn. Not too far away from here really." I yawned.

"Really? I'm from Hoenn too!" Brianna smiled. [A/N Not too sure whether she actually is from Hoenn, I didn't look into it. Just go with it:')] This girl seemed really sweet, and she was also pretty hot at the same time.

Brianna and I continued to talk until I spotted a certain brunette appear from the kitchen, a croissant in her hand. There was something I needed to tell her.

"One sec Brianna." I got up and rushed over to May.

"Hey Maple." I smirked.

"Go away Grasshead." May tried to get past me but I blocked the way.

"I have something to tell you though." I grinned and May frowned, ripping off a bit of her croissant and eating it.

"What is it?" she sighed. May looked a little distracted, as she kept her gaze fixed over my shoulder and didn't seem to be looking at me. That's odd.

"Last night, when the guys and I were outside your room, we heard you sing."

"Yeah, I know that already. Get to the point!" May came back into focus and rolled her eyes impatiently.

"And I think you're a terrible singer." I smirked and May growled, slapping me across the head.

"God! Chill out Maple I was only kidding!" I laughed and May just glared at me. She started to walk off.

"I actually think you're really good." I swallowed my pride for the first time ever. May stopped walking and turned her head.

"Thank you...that means a lot to me Draw." she smirked and now it was my turn to glare. That's the last time I'm ever complimenting her!

"How do you know about that?" I asked, slightly annoyed.

"I was talking to your good friend Gary earlier." May laughed as I scowled. She gave me a small wave and waltzed off. I turned back to Brianna, but she'd disappeared from where she was sitting just now. I didn't even see her go. Dammit, I was only just getting to know her too.

Ash, Paul and Gary walked into the room.

"Drew! There you are!" Ash ran over.

"What?" I yawned, still tired from lack of sleep.

"The live shows are on Saturday, today is Monday. We have to get practicing! We have to find a song!" Ash looked completely manic, trying to drag me out of the seat I had just this second sat back down on.

"Okay I'm coming!" I snapped and got up. We had to leave the house and travel, in a very flashy car, to the arena to meet up with our mentor Dexter. He was mentoring the Groups, while Jordan had the Boys category, and Keira had the Girls category. When we arrived, lots of the other contestants were already here, some in the hallways, others in dressing rooms practicing and deciding what they were going to sing.

"Hey Drew." a small hand tapped my shoulder and I turned around. A smile appeared on my face as I saw Brianna, her group members Veronica and Melody nowhere to be seen at this point.

"Hi Brianna. How are you?" I smirked cockily at the girl and she blushed peony.

"I...I'm good thanks!" she stammered as I stepped a little closer to her. It was nice to see my charms working again, nothing I did could make Maple stammer and blush like that at all...

"Draw! Get over here!" Gary snapped from the other side of the room.

"I gotta go, talk to you later?" I grinned as she nodded. I walked over to the guys and noticed they were all smirking at me, even Ash. Misty was with them too, where'd she come from? Gary nudged my arm and winked at me. I glared at him.

"She's a little hottie. Why did you get to talk to her and not me?" Gary eyed Brianna as she sauntered away.

"Are you going out with her?" Ash blurted out and I looked at him, totally shocked.

"Ash! You idiot!" Misty thumped Ash on the back. God, she's so violent! The guys fell silent as Misty walked up to me, her sapphire eyes intensely locked into mine.

"You shouldn't talk to that girl Drew." she folded her arms in a very motherly way and I raised an eyebrow.

"You can't tell me what to do." I glared at Misty.

"Go on then Ginger, why can't Draw talk to her?" Gary stood beside me and I smiled gratefully at him.

Misty laughed darkly. "That girl is a total and complete bitch. I know just by looking."

"You've never even spoke to her, how did you come up with that conclusion?" I spat.

"I grew up with three complete bitches, trust me Drew they aren't nice girls. I'm a basically walking bitch-o-meter." Misty softened a little and I could see the sorrow in her eyes, even when she made that joke. I didn't comment on it though. Getting involved in other people's lives isn't my style.

"Brianna's a sweet girl, not a bitch like you say she is. And nothing's going on." I argued.

"Yet." Gary was grinning from ear to ear. I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Haven't we got a song to write?" I asked, impatiently.

"Good luck with that." Misty smirked. "Tiger Rose are gonna kick your stupid asses!"

"Tiger Rose?" Paul repeated.

"Yup, the name of our group. You guys are called Midnight Run I heard?" Misty smiled as Ash nodded. She tapped Ash on the head and then stomped off to find the other girls, leaving the four of us. Before Gary could bring Brianna back into the subject, I suggested we go and figure out our song for Saturday.

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><p>"Anybody got any ideas at all?" I asked the guys as they fell into a deep silence. We'd spoken to Dexter already and he had faith in us to write our own song and perform it well. Since then we hadn't come up with anything.<p>

"There's this song I wrote." Ash blurted, breaking the silence between the four of us. He reached in his back pocket and took out a folded up, messy piece of paper. He unfolded the paper to show us the song lyrics written on in sprawled and messy  
>handwriting. The lyrics to the first couple of verses read;<p>

_The night shines, it's getting hot on my shoulders.  
>I don't mind, this time it doesn't matter.<em>

_'Cause your friends, they look good and you look better._  
><em>Don't you know all night, I've been waiting for a girl like you to come around, round, round...<em>

"This is genius!" Gary jumped up and down and hugged Ash. You so could tell the two of them were best friends. I grabbed the lyrics from Ash's hand and frowned.

"These lyrics are so...ugh! So girly!" I complained.

"I don't care. The point is that we don't have to waste time writing a song and all the girls out there are gonna love it and they'll vote for us to stay in the competition!" Gary clapped his hands childishly. He looked so excited right now.

"Stop getting ahead of yourself." Paul grunted. "We need to learn and practice the song first."

Gary smiled. "Very true Paul. Very very true...we'll do it tomorrow."

Paul sighed heavily but didn't object.

"Come on Buzzkill, let's go tell Dexter we got our song, then we can go 'bug' the girls for the rest of the day! If you catch my drift!" Gary grabbed Ash and they were out of the door. I looked over to Paul, who was just lost for words, just like me.

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><p><strong>~Misty's POV~<strong>

"Stupid guys! They never listen!" I muttered to myself until I realised that I probably looked like a complete freak talking to myself like that. I walked down the hall silently until I felt a brisk tap on my shoulder. I turned around and three glaring girls were stood behind me. This was all I needed...

"What?" I muttered angrily.

"Why were you talking to Midnight Run just now?" one of the girls, I think her name was Veronica, flicked her blonde locks and sneered at me.

"I don't have to explain myself to bitches like you three!" I glared back. Great. I'd just gotten away from three bitches back home, only to get three more on my case here! Just my luck...

"Ugh! Could you get anymore judgemental?" A girl with brunette hair and an annoyingly girly voice was clearly not happy with me.

"Melody's the sweetest girl you'll ever know. The only bitches around here are you and your pathetic group!" Brianna put an arm around Melody's shoulder comfortingly and I wanted to throw up.

"Can you please stop talking to me?" I shook my head and turned back around to go and see May, Leaf and Dawn. The girls behind me were making catty remarks about my hair and my clothes, but I refused to let them get to me. I walked inside the dressing room with the girls in and I slammed the door, leaning against it.

"Oh hey, where'd you go?" May asked me. I didn't reply and instead, just sat down on the sofa. I won't admit it but the comments those girls made about me were really hurtful. They reminded me of my sisters so much.

"Are you okay?" Leaf asked, sounding a little worried. Why was I letting them get to me?

"Please tell us what's wrong Misty, I don't know you very well but I want you to know that I'm here for you. We all are." Dawn spoke comfortingly.

"Yeah I know...I just had a run in with three horrible girls." I sighed.

"One of them didn't happen to have lightish red hair, did she?" May asked me and I thought back.

"Yeah you're talking about Brianna, the girl Drew keeps flirting with, right? She's the worst out out of the three." I groaned and I saw May wince a little.

"I know! Drew kept trying to talk to me earlier but all I could see was her glaring at me! I think she sorta' threatened me too..." May trailed off at the end of her sentence.

"May! Why didn't you say anything?" Leaf looked genuinely surprised.

"I didn't think it mattered before. But now it does." May looked really pissed off right now. "I need to see Brianna right now!"

My eyes widened a little. "No you don't May, besides we have to practice our awesome song." I smiled kindly and May calmed down a little.

"You're right." she sighed and we spent the next hour continuing and practicing our song, constantly changing things around. May's guitar served as the backing track and it worked perfectly.

We continued to practice until we heard a knock on the door. I rolled my eyes and got up to answer, since none of the other three bothered to. When I opened the door, Ash was standing there, a huge grin on his face.

"Uh...are you okay?" I asked him, perhaps a little concerned. This was seriously weirding me out. Ash said nothing for a few seconds.

"Happy birthday!" Ash suddenly yelled as loud as he could and he threw something at me that was cupped in his hands.

"What? It's not my birthd...OH MY GOD, SPIDER! GET IT OFF ME!" I screamed hysterically and Ash ran as fast as he could over to where Drew and Gary were nearly peeing themselves with laughter, trust me, I could hear it. Leaf rushed over and gently removed the spider from my shoulder, which I think was pretty damn brave of her. She held the disgusting creature in her hands before sighing.

"I wondered how long it was gonna be before they pranked us." she walked over to the open window and gently threw it out.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Gary and Ash together equals trouble. Gary's the biggest prankster I have ever known and he influences Ash so easily." Leaf sighed and then she turned to me. "Why did you freak out so much anyways?"

"Leaf!" Dawn hissed.

"It's fine Dawn, she just wants to know. I've had a serious phobia of all bugs since I was a kid, I just hate them! But the guys didn't know that, so I'm not gonna go too hard on them." I smiled, feeling very forgiving right now.

"I don't understand why those boys are so immature; Lucas is the sweetest and kindest guy I've ever known." Dawn sighed in a very romantic way. I looked at her, deeply confused. As did May and Leaf.

"Who's Lucas?" Leaf asked the question that all three of us were wondering about.

"My boyfriend, duh!" Dawn beamed.

"You never told us that!" said May.

"I didn't? I'm sure I did!" Now Dawn looked confused.

"Nope, never. How long have you two been together?" I asked.

"Nearly seven months!" Dawn responded with a smile.

"Paul's not gonna be happy when he finds out." Leaf laughed jokingly.

"Leaf just drop it already. I'm not single and Paul is so not my type! We're complete opposites!" Dawn looked agitated. You could tell Leaf grew up with two boys as her best friends, she's like a female version of Gary! We don't need two of those...

"I'm sorry..." Leaf sighed and hugged Dawn. "I'm such an idiot."

"Yes you are." Dawn giggled, with Leaf joining in.

"Anybody else got any secrets they'd like to share with us?" I announced sarcastically.

"Not me. Do I look like the secretive type?" Leaf smiled.

"That's a good point." May laughed.

"Now we have to go find Dexter." I smiled and walked out of the room to go and see our mentor. I prayed that we wouldn't cross paths with Brianna and her stupid friends along the way. Especially Melody, ugh! I'm not sure why, but she annoyed me more than the other two did.

As we walked out, I could hear music flowing from the stage. I had to go look.

"Come over here a sec!" I hissed to the girls and we stepped silently out to the stage to see what was happening. Sure enough, it was Melody and the others practicing their song for Saturday.

"You have no idea how much I wanna go slap those girls." May looked angered, but she did nothing about it.

"This is so catchy!" Leaf grinned and began to sway to the music. Dawn slapped her across the head and Leaf groaned.

"What was that for?" she hissed.

"Shut up!" I glared at the two of them and carried on listening. I'll admit, it was good.

"And just what are you four doing?"

The voice made me jump. I turned around and looked at the girl who had just this second sneered at us. Her hair was a light peach colour and she'd separated it into two ponytails which spiralled down to her shoulders. I honestly couldn't remember who she was.

"Who are you?" Leaf asked, taking the words straight out of my mouth.

"I'm Ursula. Now you can answer my question, what are you doing?"

Dawn seemed to take a major dislike to this girl for reasons unknown to me, I looked at Leaf and she shrugged back, confused. We let Dawn do the insulting.

"Does it matter Ursula? We don't wanna talk to you, get out of here!" Dawn turned back around, completely ignoring Ursula's insults back. She grabbed Dawn by the hair and forced her to turn around and look at her. We were so busy trying to get the two apart, we didn't even notice that the music had stopped playing.

"What is going on here!" Brianna's voice pierced through the room.

"Get off of her! We don't want any trouble!" Leaf couldn't hold back any longer and pushed Ursula away with all her strength. Dawn I noticed, was fighting back tears as she fixed her hair. Ursula was pulling right at the roots so it must have hurt her. Ursula growled and stormed away.

"I won't forget this!" she yelled.

I rolled my eyes at Ursula, and looked over to where Brianna, Melody and Veronica were stood, and I could see Brianna walking over to where May was standing, positively glaring at the poor girl. I shook my head in pure disbelief and stood by May's side.

"Just what do you think you were doing this morning?" Brianna sounded fierce.

"Uh, let me see now...I woke up, got dressed, I brushed my teeth...Uh then I ate some food!" May smirked, deliberately infuriating her.

"Don't play games with me, you stupid girl." she hissed. "Why were you talking to Drew!"

"Trust me, I didn't want to. He blocked the way so I couldn't pass. You were there remember? Glaring at me, acting like some jealous, possessive girlfriend." May began to laugh and Brianna scowled. Her scowl suddenly turned into a light, sweet smile.

"Oh, that was a good one May!" she beamed, smiling at her like they were friends.

"Uh...what?" May looked confused until she saw the boys appear.

"Hey again." Brianna smiled sweetly at Drew as he came over.

"Hi Bri." Drew smiled cockily at Brianna and she giggled as they continued to talk. May shook her head and stormed away. Drew, I noticed, kept stealing looks back at May until she was out of sight. I looked around and spotted Melody talking to Ash, the same sweet smile on her face. They're all so fake! Ugh!

"Hey Ash. I need to talk to you." I smiled as I walked over.

"Hey Misty, What's up?" Ash smiled. Melody next to him was beaming at me, it was like she'd totally forgotten what happened earlier. I sighed, unable to keep up a gracious act infront of Melody. It wasn't me.

"I don't want to talk to you so get out of here!" I spoke to Melody rudely. That made me feel so, so much better.

"I'm sorry for getting in the way, I guess I'll just go. Bye Ash" Melody sighed, she actually looked quite upset. Huh, she's faking it.

"Melody, wait!" Ash called out as she walked off. He then turned around to me. "I thought you were a nice girl Misty, what did she do to deserve that?"

I gasped. No way was he siding with her! Although now I think about it, he had no idea of my run in with the girls beforehand.  
>Oh no...<p>

"Ash you don't understand..." I started but he cut me off.

"Forget it. I'm gonna go find Melody and apologise. It's the least I can do." Ash sighed and gave me a disappointed look, then ran off to find her. I didn't even try to stop him. Instead, I slumped down next to a pile of boxes containing stage equipment and my eyes started to water, although I had no idea why. I could hear Leaf arguing bitterly with somebody in the background, but I couldn't care less. I just sat here, my head in my hands, feeling like crap. What was happening to me? Why was I being so pathetic?

"Ginger?"

That voice caused me to whip my head up. Gary was standing, looking at me concerned. He had his arms wrapped around Leaf, who was clearly enraged right now.

"I'm fine." I ignored Leaf's shrieks. I felt so awful right now, maybe Melody isn't really isn't that bad...

No. What am I saying.

"It doesn't look like...Dammit Leaf will you shut up already!" Gary turned away from me to yell at Leaf.

"Misty? Are you okay?" Leaf only just seemed to notice me, but she kept glaring at something...or maybe someone.

"It's okay Leaf, I'll tell you later." I forced a smile and she smiled back.

"Alright then. Can you let me go now? I'm sane." Leaf turned to Gary who sighed, but let her go.

"Come on, practice is clearly over. Let's get back to the house." Gary held out a hand to help me up and I took it graciously. Gary may be an idiot from what I've seen, but it looks to me like he has a softer side. We found Paul and went to get Drew, who was clearly in his own little world, still in deep conversation with Brianna.

"Drew...we're going." said Paul.

Drew tore his eyes away from Brianna. "It's fine, you guys go. I'm gonna stay here a little longer."

"You sure?" I asked, hoping he would change his mind.

"He's sure. Bye everyone!" Brianna waved us off. I shook my head disappointedly at Drew, who'd clearly not listened to a word I said.

"Where's Dawn?" I asked. I'd been so wrapped up in the whole problem with Ash and Melody, that I hadn't seen a thing that happened with the others

"May walked off before, no idea where she went, and Dawn followed her. They're probably still together." Leaf smiled. "Say...where's Ash?"

"Misty was with him last, were you arguing or something?" Paul turned to me.

"You saw that huh." I sighed. "I'm guessing he's with Melody right now, that's where he said he was going."

"We'd better leave him then. I don't want to go search for him if he's just going to stay here." Leaf sighed and led the boys and I to the dressing room we were practicing in earlier to get our things and May and Dawn were sitting in there.

"Hey." I smiled weakly.

"Are you guys ready to go? I think we're done here." Dawn smiled.

"Where are the other two?" May asked.

"One's with Melody and the other's with Brianna." Leaf sighed and opened the door. We all headed out to the exit, and I was about to go outside with everyone until my phone slipped out of my pocket. I bent down to pick it up and heard Ash yell from down the corridor.

"Hey, hang on! I need to talk to you Misty!" He yelled, Melody was by his side, clearly trying to pull him away.

I just shook my head at Ash, and walked out of the arena. I really didn't want to talk to him right now, I wasn't thinking properly. I got into the car and it started to drive away. I looked back and saw Ash watching us drive away, he must have followed me outside. For some reason, the guilt inside was eating away at me.

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><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - The end of the chapter couldn't have been more depressing if I tried-.- Aww I actually felt a little sad for Misty in this one, and I never thought I'd feel sad for a character. Especially her. I wrote most of this on Christmas Eve, seeing as though the only other thing I did that day was track Santa on my computer xD I know it's overdue, but I hope everybody had a great christmas, because I know I did:) By the way, those lyrics are a song by the beautiful One Direction and it's called Stole My Heart. I love those boys. Review if you want, I don't bite! :)~


	6. Chapter 6: Broken Strings

Chapter 6: Broken Strings

Hey all. I don't know...this chapter seems so bleh to me.

Last day of 2011 :O This year has gone so fast...hope everyone has an awesome 2012 :)

Song lyrics are in _italics_.

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><p><strong>Replies to Reviews…<strong>

**Bradley8155**- Ahaha we'll just have to see how Paul reacts when he finds out about Lucas xD

**pokemonSLR** - Yeah, that's right! I was wondering if someone would get that reference but I wasn't too sure:) I needed a rival for Leaf so I searched around on the Bulbapedia for a little while and came across that name, and it just seemed perfect:) And yeah, Ursula's a bitch-.- But we'll seeing more of her, as I have a lot of ideas in mind... Also, in response to your other question, what I do is write the chapter on my iPod, send it to myself through email, and then copy and paste it from the email to a word document, then upload. It's really easy. :)~  
><strong><br>EmeraldHeart12 **- I know right? Two faced people like her are just the worst-.-

**XxStarzxX** - You're right, it does fit!:) Although I won't be using it for the song this week, I'm definitely gonna consider it, thanks for that! :)~  
><strong><br>Missy**- Well that's Ash for ya:') I know what you mean, I've read stories like that too and I decided the boys aren't going to like them if they act like snotty bitches. Plus making them two faced like that is more interesting to write:) Ahaha I agree. Misty really is experienced is dealing with those kinds of girls, I need a Misty:')

**Fprmr1 **- Thanks alot!:D Yeah, but you know the story wouldn't be the same without them getting in the way, makes it more interesting. Well for me it does anyway:')

**Kiara**- Aw thanks so much!:) I agree with you there, she's so annoying! Ugh. :)~

**LoveLoverGrl**- Thank you! I love writing the dramatic stuff:)

**18**- Thanks for reviewing! Aw I know, they exist, and will unfortunately continue to exist:( You just gotta put up with them I guess:')

**LuvAllPokemon**- I know right? Stories like that are cute for a little while, but they're so unrealistic-.- The depression continues into this chapter, only it's not really Misty this time...I say no more. Thank you :)~

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>- I do not own Pokemon:-)

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><p>~<strong>Misty's POV~<strong>

Four days had passed like a blur of colours and I'd hardly spoken a word to Ash. I could tell he was trying his hardest to not to talk to me, and that was the worst part. I'd just sit there forlornly and watch as he'd crack jokes with May, or mess around with Leaf and Gary, his best friends. I felt awful, but I refused to let my feelings get in the way of our major performance tonight. I wouldn't!

"We need to stay calm, for calm will give us the answer." Dawn looked blissful as she inhaled and exhaled slowly, clearly trying to calm herself as her make up was being done.

"Dawn? Are you meditating over there?" May laughed. Although she seemed okay, I knew she was the most nervous out of us all as she was going to play her guitar on stage whilst singing with us. Not to mention we were singing a song that she'd written.

"I'm just trying to stay calm. You, my friend, are shaking like a leaf." Dawn smiled at May.

"Hey, I'm not shaking!" Leaf piped up from the other side of the room and I began to laugh, despite my recent misery. I don't even know why. Leaf has the ability to put a smile on your face by just being herself, and I really admire her for that.

All this week I've spent most of my time bonding with May, Leaf and Dawn and I'm definitely beginning to trust them, although we aren't close friends just yet. I've even found a friend in Gary these past few days, as he's just so easy to get along with and we're similar in many ways.

"Oh god, I'm getting nervous!" Leaf was shifting about uncomfortably on her seat. One thing I've learned about Leaf this week is that she is very over-emotional. And if she's nervous...

"Leaf, calm down. Everything is going to be fine." Dawn tried her best to comfort Leaf while the girl was doing her hair. Now Leaf was the one shaking.

"Why don't you go put on your dress? That'll take your mind off things." I suggested and Leaf left the room. I sighed with relief, she wasn't the easiest person to convince.

"Look, the shows starting!" May directed our attentions to the plasma screen in the dressing room and the cameras were showing the thousands of people who'd attended the show.

"Oh god." May and I spoke at the same time, then giggled at the coincidence.

"Sh!" Dawn hissed as Keira, looking very pretty in a peach coloured dress and matching alice band, announced the first of her girls to the stage. Luckily, we were told that we were on last tonight, so we had much longer to prepare than everybody else.

"Ursula." I stated and I noticed Dawn was glaring at the screen really, really weirdly.

"Dawn, what is going on here?" I asked out of curiosity. The girl fixing my hair and make up had finished so I got up and walked towards Dawn, stretching my legs.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Dawn replied and folded her arms, sounding a spoilt brat. Why was she bring difficult? I was getting frustrated, not what I needed right now.

"What is with you and Ursula? Do you know her personally Dawn?" I asked, trying not to care but my curiosity piqued.

"Just leave it. I don't wanna talk about it." I nodded and left her alone. I really need to stop getting involved in other peoples problems when I've got my own to deal with. I just can't help it.

"Hey guys! Do I look okay?" Leaf appeared in the doorway, wearing a beautiful short, white dress that was feathered at the bottom and it showed off her figure perfectly. Her dark hair was curly and it tumbled over her shoulders. She also wore nude coloured heels, a sparkling tiara on her head and pretty peacock feather earrings. She looked like a little angel.

Dawn stopped watching Ursula's performance with a grim expression on her face. Instead she turned around to beam at Leaf.

"You look gorgeous Leaf!" she grinned.

"I'm going to put on my dress now." I smiled weakly and headed to go change. All four of us had very similar dresses as it matched the theme of our song and the props we were using for it. Dexter had worked so hard for us this week, I appreciate everything he's done for us, I really do.

After slipping into my heels and putting my favourite silver chain back around my neck, I smoothened out my dress and looked into the mirror. I felt like a princess right now, a feeling I thought I'd never experience. I heard a knock on the locked door and I waded my way through the racks of clothes and outfits in my path and unlocked the door, shocked to see the boy standing infront of me.

"Ash..?" I whispered.

"The girls told me you were here." he smiled after a small silence and I couldn't help but smile back.

"Look...I'm sorry about Monday Misty, whatever business you have with Melody is nothing to do with me. I should never have spoken to you like that." Ash looked genuinely upset and I felt so bad for not trying to sort things out earlier.

"Look Ash...I'm sorry for being so rude. Can we please forget about this? It'd be a huge weight off my shoulders..." I smiled hopefully.

"Yeah, thanks Misty. I gotta go, our performance is next. See you later." He started to walk away but he stopped and looked back. "By the way, you look really pretty." Ash nodded approvingly and I blushed a little, he was so sweet. I had a stupid grin on my face as he walked off. I went back to see the girls, and as soon as I walked through the door I was flooded with questions as to why Ash was asking for me. The girls also complimented me on my dress, which was sweet of them. But still!

"It doesn't matter! Seriously, shut up!" I looked up at the screen and the boys were on stage, singing a very boyband like song, even Paul looked totally in his comfort zone, which was a first. The four of us sat staring at the screen in amazement. We'd seen these boys, well three of them as Drew was way too busy with his little 'girlfriend' to be seen with us, messing around and being themselves all week. Now they were singing together, they all looked so...mature? Grown up? That was the only word for it. I could tell Leaf was thinking the same as me, her face was easy to interpret.

When they'd finished, deafening feminine shrieks of applause came from the crowd, it was manic. Although I don't blame them, they were really, really good. The judges gave their reactions and Dexter was beaming and clapping like a proud dad. I hoped he'd be proud of us like that after our performance, because ours is more of a heartfelt tune.

"Just...wow." Leaf was still surprised at her two closest friends. She shook her head in disbelief.

"They all looked so happy out there." Dawn smiled.

I looked over at May, but she was just staring at the screen. It was like she was hypnotised.

"May?" I said her name and she didn't even blink. She just confined her gaze to the screen.

"Hello?" Dawn clicked her fingers in May's face and she jumped in fright.

"Ohh! What?" May was in a complete daze. I glanced at the screen and noticed that the presenter of the show was asking Drew quick questions about the performance just now.

"What were you staring at May?" Leaf literally took the words out of my mouth. Poor May looked like a deer caught in the headlights.

"Wha...I...what?" she stammered. "I was not staring at Drew!"

"We never said you were staring at Drew." I grinned and May's face turned a deep red colour.

"What...I...I wasn't staring! He's been a total jerk to us, to everyone this week, why would I?"

May wasn't wrong there, Drew's been acting like an total and complete asshole this week. He's been spending more time with Brianna than anyone else, and the more time he spent with her, the more stuck up and selfish he became. I haven't said anything as I'm trying to stop getting involved in other peoples problems, but I know it's clearly been hurting May.

"Just keep telling yourself that May." Dawn said quietly and shook her head as May looked at her confused.

"Whatever Dawn. I'm going to go put my dress on and tune my guitar since we're on soon." May sighed and grabbed her beloved guitar from the corner. I swear, she never goes anywhere without that thing...although she's always leaving it in places.

"Make sure you lock the door May, we don't want the asshole you clearly weren't staring at accidentally walking in now do we?" I laughed, getting my own back on her for asking all those questions about Ash before. May just slammed the door.

"She better hurry up, I've gotta go change!" Dawn got up out of her hair and paced nervously around the room.

"Look who's on screen." I sighed as the three girls known as Electric Heart came out onto the stage, sweet smiles on their faces. Thank goodness May had gone, I know she hates Brianna.

"I hate her so much!" Leaf spat and I turned around confused.

"Which one do you hate?" I asked and Leaf frowned.

"Remember on Monday? When I nearly got into a fight with her? Come on Misty you were there!" Leaf tried to remind me but I had no idea what happened, except for when she was trying to lash out at somebody. I was too caught up in my own issues to even think.

"Is it...Veronica?" I asked, only because I noticed Leaf glaring at the screen whenever the cameras went to Veronica.

"Well done, Sherlock." Leaf replied, not taking her icy eyes away from the plasma screen. I decided not to ask her about what happened, I didn't want her feeling even more upset about it.

May came back into the dressing room shortly after and Dawn rushed out to change, as she'd left it pretty late. We're on soon and I'm terrified.

No! If the boys can do it, then so can I. I have to stay strong for the others.

"Come here a minute May." I spoke and May walked towards me. A piece of her hair had fell from the immaculate bun on the top of her head so I fixed it up for her.

"Thank you Misty..." May was shaking horribly.

"May seriously now, calm down. You have nothing to worry about." I gave the brunette a hug and I saw tears in her eyes.

"Hey...don't cry, you don't wanna ruin your make up." I soothed and May blinked the tears away.

"I don't even know why I'm upset... What if I mess up on guitar? What if I forget the words..?"

"You won't forget the words May." I smiled.

"How do you know for sure?" she replied.

"Well, you wrote them." I began to laugh and May joined in.

"Think about something else to take your mind off it."

"Like what?" May asked.

"I don't know...mentally stabbing Brianna or something?" I suggested and May burst out laughing. At least it took her mind off things.

I looked over in Leaf's direction to find her still glaring at the TV screen.

"Leaf, stop it! Glaring at her isn't going to make her go away." Honestly, I felt like her mother!

"You're right." Leaf picked up the remote and tried to change channels. I tried to take it back off her as I wanted to know what the judges thought of the performance.

"Let go Leaf! You're being immature!" I growled as Leaf and I fought over the remote. Dawn walked back into the room.

"You look fabulous Dawn!" May smiled. She'd clearly taken my advice to heart, now she wasn't shaking as much.

"Thank you so much May, you look gorgeous yourself!" The girls laughed as Leaf held the remote up in the air triumphantly. I just shook my head at her. Moments later, one of the producers burst open the door.

"You're on in five ladies, you'd better go." he nodded at us and abruptly left. I'm guessing the five minutes was to prepare our set on stage during the ad break, we'd seen it earlier during rehearsals and it looked truly magical. It seemed to me that Leaf had forgotten about the TV altogether as she let the remote clatter to the floor and was already out of the door.

"What are you waiting for? It's show time!" Leaf clapped her hands excitedly like a five year old child as we walked towards the stage. Unfortunately for us, Brianna, Melody and Veronica were just appearing from the stage. I noticed Drew was standing there waiting for them. Or should I say her. The minute Brianna appeared, Drew swept her off her feet and embraced her, congratulating her on the performance. I noticed her nastily sneering at May while Drew couldn't see and I scowled at her. This was pathetic! I dragged May and the others away from them, received my microphone and then we took the stage as Dexter had just announced us in.

The crowds were astonishing, like nothing I'd ever seen before! They were cheering for us...and we weren't going to let them down. Our set was like a magical white forest full of mystery and beauty. It simple, yet effective. A beautiful fog covered the stage floor beneath us and there was a silver coloured gnarly tree at the side with a pretty looking swing hanging from the largest branch. We decided in practice that Leaf would sit on the swing, as she was the only one who wanted to do it. We walked down, Leaf sitting on the swing, then I was standing in the middle with Dawn on my right, then May was sitting down on my far right on a silver tree trunk prop, as she needed to sit to play her guitar.

This was it. The background music began and May began to play her guitar. I gripped my microphone and began to sing my solo part as Leaf slowly began to to swing and Dawn started to sway to the beat.

_"There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles_  
><em>Same old tired lonely place.<em>

_Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy_  
><em>Vanished when I saw your face.<em>

_All I can say is it was, enchanting to meet you..."_ I sung and Dawn began her part.

_"Your eyes whispered 'Have we met?'_  
><em>Across the room your silhouette<em>  
><em>Starts to make it's way to me.<em>

_The playful conversation starts, counter all your quick remarks_  
><em>Like passing notes in secrecy.<em>

_And it was, enchanting to meet you..._  
><em>All i can say is I was, enchanted to meet you..<em>." Dawn finished her solo and the three of us began to sing with her.

_"This night, is sparkling don't you let it go_  
><em>I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home<em>  
><em>I'll spend forever, wondering if you knew<em>  
><em>I was enchanted to meet you..."<em> We finished the chorus and Leaf began her solo, still delicately swinging back and forth. She looked so graceful. Looks can be deceiving.

_"The lingering question kept me up, 2am who do you love?_  
><em>I'm, wondering 'till I'm wide awake<em>  
><em>Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door<em>  
><em>I'd open up and you would say.<em>

_It was, enchanting to meet you..._  
><em>All I know is I was, enchanted to meet you..."<em> Leaf finished and we all began to sing together again.

_"This night, is sparkling don't you let it go_  
><em>I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home<em>  
><em>I'll spend forever, wondering if you knew...<em>

_This night is flawless, don't you let it go_  
><em>I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone<em>  
><em>I'll spend forever, wondering if you knew<em>  
><em>I was enchanted to meet you..."<em>

We'd stopped singing for a few moments let the music of May's beautiful guitar fill the air. The audience were simply captivated. May then began her solo.

_"This is me praying that,_

_This was the very first page, not where the storyline ends_  
><em>My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again<em>  
><em>These were the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon<em>  
><em>I was enchanted to meet you..."<em>

There was supposed to be another small guitar solo from May but she started to quietly sing to herself. I don't think she even realised she was doing it.

_"Please don't be in love with someone else_  
><em>Please don't have somebody waiting on you...<em>

**[A/N - I know these are actual lyrics, but just pretend May made them up on the spot:') It's part of the story]**

_Please don't be in love with someone else_  
><em>Please don't have somebody waiting on you..."<em> The second time I sung those same words with her to make it look like it was part of the song and it seemed to work, thank goodness.

We repeated the chorus together and afterwards I nodded at May and we sung that little part she'd made up again, with Leaf and Dawn finally thinking and joining in the second time. The background music faded away and May played the last note on her guitar. The audience suddenly erupted like a volcano, the applause was huge! Leaf got off of her swing and May stood up too, except she nearly tripped over her own two feet. I grabbed her hand to steady her and we all stood together in a line beaming ecstatically.

"Tiger Rose! Oh my goodness girls, what a way to end this show!" Keira had to yell her praise to us as the crowds were deafening. "That performance was so emotional and so beautiful it reduced me to tears! You should congratulate yourselves, a great first performance!" she wiped the tears away from her eyes and Jordan shook his head at her.

"Considering you girls have only known each other for a week and have hardly had any time to bond, you've done brilliantly! I hope the public vote for you, you deserve it." Jordan grinned at us.

"Girls...I honestly don't know what to say. You exceeded all expectations tonight, you've worked so hard this week and May..." Dexter trailed off and looked at the brunette. "That song wouldn't have been the same without your beautiful guitar playing, you're a natural. Misty, May, Dawn and Leaf, my four little roses! I'm so proud of you!" The crowd roared for us again and it was just the best feeling. Then I thought of my mean sisters back home, most likely watching right now and I grinned.

Who's laughing now, bitches!

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><p><strong>[-Drew's POV-]<strong>

I found myself watching Tiger Rose's performance completely entranced, I could hardly hear a word Brianna was saying to me. Everything about it was just so...I don't know...perfect? Watching May play guitar, it was as if the whole thing seemed to go in slow motion. I couldn't take my eyes off the girl and I didn't know why. I suddenly felt terrible, I'd completely shunned the girls all week and except for practice, I'd hardly spoken to the guys either...

"Aww! They were so good, weren't they Drew!" Brianna glanced up at the TV screen and smiled at me.

"Huh what?" I came back into focus and my mind was hazy.

"I just said...never mind." Brianna sighed and wearily rested her head against my shoulder. I didn't bother to move her.

"Are you tired?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I hardly got any sleep last night...I was so nervous." she yawned and looked into my jade green eyes. I swear at that moment, my heart skipped a beat.

"Drew." Gary's voice arose from behind and it made me jump.

"God, don't do that!" I turned around and hissed pretty rudely. "What do you want?"

"We're going to congratulate the girls and go back to the house and just chill, the eight of us. We've hardly seen you all week, come on." I turned to look behind me, my arm around Brianna, and saw Ash and Paul with Gary.

"Are you coming or what?" Ash asked.

"Uh..." I stalled for time. Damn, I hate tight situations like this! I was about to say yes and go with them as I honestly wanted to spend some time with May and apologise, I had been pretty mean to her, to all of them actually, but Brianna gave me a sorrowful look that said she didn't want me to go. I couldn't just leave her. I sighed, defeated.

"You guys go..." I felt awful, I really did.

"Fine, whatever." Gary looked at me funny, an expression I'd never seen on his face. He looked...disappointed. He walked away with Ash and Paul and I wanted nothing more than to say I changed my mind and go see the girls.

But I didn't.

I just stood there, frozen to the spot, feeling limp and lifeless.

"Thank you Drew."

I looked back around and Brianna had the sweetest of smiles on her face, she was the only thing that could cheer me up right now.

"It's okay." I felt a lump in my throat as I took hold of Brianna's hands and just held them tight. Brianna smiled and embraced me, but as I returned the favour, all I could think of were the others, celebrating and having fun without me. I thought of May too, I wondered if she cared that I didn't go and see her. I don't know what she thought, but I knew we somehow connected on the boat to Ever Grande this time last week, I knew it. Yet I'd never admit it. God, i'm a coward...

I actually felt tears spring to my eyes at this point, but I forced them back down. No way was I going to sit and cry about it like a little kid.

Lots of the other contestants and producers of the show walked past us, but they just seemed like faceless people with no meaning to me whatsoever.

"You could have gone with them, you know." Brianna sighed.

"Yeah but I didn't, did I?" I forced a smile. Then, without even thinking about my actions, I leant over and kissed Brianna on the cheek for being so sweet to me this week.

"You missed." she whispered.

"What?" I replied, only to be kissed on the lips by the cute strawberry haired girl. I was so startled I didn't even close my eyes. Any other moment and I may have kissed her back, but not now.

"I need to go." I abruptly turned and left, realising I needed to find May before the seven of them left for the house.

"Drew, hold on!" Brianna's voice echoed in my head but I ignored it. I ran down the hallways looking for them, with no luck. Then I turned a corner, and there she was, guitar glued to her hands.

"May..." I said her name and she wouldn't even look at me.

"Why did you do that Drew?" she asked bluntly.

"I don't know why I stayed with her..." I answered truthfully. I honestly didn't know why I stayed with Brianna.

"No, stupid! The other thing!" she spat suddenly and my mouth fell open. She saw Brianna kiss me, didn't she.

"May, I'm..." I began.

"Save it Drew! It's bad enough that you blew us off for...for her! And then I have to see that! Really? You aren't the cute boy with his trusty guitar anymore that I met on that ferry last week. What happened to him Drew..? What happened to my Grasshead?" Her voice cracked as she said that last part. Tears flushed down May's cheeks as she pushed me away and bolted in the direction of the door out of the arena to join up with the others. Her tiara fell off her head and clattered to the floor as she ran, she didn't even bother to go back for it. I bent down and picked it up, looking at its gleaming crystals. It was beautiful...just like she was.

As the tears I'd bottled up beforehand finally caught up with me, I knew that May was right. I was a jerk to her, to all of them. I even shunned my own bandmates.

And now I was going to suffer the consequences.

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><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>- Oh Drew you silly boy, you should have gone with the guys, not continue to be brainwashed by Brianna! Oh god, I actually found myself trying not to cry when I was writing the part with May and Drew at the end. I'm not sure whether I'm just over-emotional or it really was just sad:'( Or maybe the sad Taylor Swift songs I was listening to had something to do with it...

Also, Ash and Misty are okay now!:D I planned to leave it a couple of chapters before they started talking again, but I couldn't help myself. They're too cute. More Ikarishipping (and much less Admirationshipping, ugh) in the next chapter, as I've noticed this story is seriously lacking in the Ikari department.

By the way, the song the girls sung was Enchanted - Taylor Swift, if you didn't already know:) I'm not sure why, I just thought this seemed like the right song choice for the girls. Also, if you think there's a song the girls/boys/rivals should sing that ties in with the storyline, feel free to let me know! Review please, as I love reading them. They really do make me smile.

:)~


	7. Chapter 7: Make Ups and Revelations

Chapter 7: Make Ups and Revelations

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><p><strong>Replies to Reviews:<strong>

**Fprmr1** - Phew, I was glad I wasn't the only one, I'm a little overemotional when it comes to stuff like that!:') Yeah you're totally right. Ash and Misty not talking just didn't seem right at all. Omg me too! It's one of my favourite songs by Taylor and I know it word for word. Rest assured, whether or not it's sung by the group or just May on her own, I'm going to include that song in the story. It'd feel incomplete without it:')

**Renaa-chaan** - Aw, it just wasn't Drew's night, was it? xD And thanks so much, it means a lot! :)~

**LoveLoverGrl** - Thanks! What's a story without it's dramatic parts?:') And yep, Drew will hurt a lot, it'll be a while before May forgives him.

**Missy** - That's okay:D I'll try not to turn them into a Drew, although I haven't planned out exactly how this story's going to go yet, so we'll just have to see xD Yeah, Misty's definitely the oldest out of the girls and Leaf's the youngest, I haven't thought about the exact ages though. I'll think about it. I'm amazed that I forced myself to write that part where Drew chooses her over the rest of them, it wasn't fun. Made the story more interesting though. Aw really? I'm glad it turned out that way, I didn't want to be the only one who got a little teary over that last part :)~

**xRissychanx -** Ehehehe!:D Aww, I'm so glad you think that, I wanted my story to be a little different to most that are like this, and I thought making Drew besotted with Brianna like that made it seem like a change from the others:')

**Fangora the Dragon** - Confetti, yay!:D A jerk he may be, but he feels bad about it! And you may have to wait a little longer before any more Contestshipping moments *cries* because May isn't ready to forgive Drew just yet:') Oh my goodness, I listened to that song and it brought back a ton of memories from when I was younger and my friends and I used to play Sonic Heroes and sing along to the themes:'D Damn I miss my PS2. That song is fitting, you're right. And since I adore Sonic, I may just have to use that one, we'll see. Coldplay song for tee boys = Definite (although I don't know when) Words cannot describe my love for their music :)~

**SYKpop7** - Aw, you're not alone. I was spouting tears like a total idiot. xD Brianna's a bitch ain't she? Always getting in the way:')

**aznpandagrl** - I'll try to explain the way they sing in the upcoming chapters, although it has to be at the right moment, like May's, not just thrown in randomly:') Those fics annoy me too, and you're right, it was lacking Ikari but I hope this kinda makes up for it!:D Well this chapter starts in Dawn's POV, but one of the boys POV is in here too:) Aw! Thank you, that is so sweet of you! I think scenes like that shouldn't be rushed at all, and it annoys me when they are in other fics-.- I love writing the emotional parts, aswell as everything else:D

**LuvAllPokemon** - Thank you! Omg it does, doesn't it? I didn't even see the similarities till I read your review x'D As much as I hate the pairing, I think she and Drew may well have more moments together because if they just began to suddenly ignore each other it would seem a little odd. Well for me it would anyways. :)~

**Lucky Kat Kat Kate** - Yes, yes he is xD And the part where he didn't go with them was so hard to write, seriously-.- Thanks for reviewing!:D

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I own nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nein.

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><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

"Morning you guys..." Misty tied her hair in its usual side ponytail after emerging from the bathroom. She was a total morning person, unlike Leaf who looked and sounded like a zombie right now.

"Good morning Misty." I smiled at her and May, who was also up.

"How are you feeling today May?" I sat as May came over and sat next to me on my bed. She said nothing, just sighing and looking away. Last night's performance was amazing but the night itself ended in complete disaster. By the end of it, Gary looked seriously pissed off with everything, Misty was beside herself with anger, yelling things like "I fucking told him! I knew this was going to happen! He's an absolute jerk!" over and over. Leaf, being the clumsy girl she is, tripped over as we were leaving the arena. I think she sprained her ankle due to those heels because she cried quietly into Gary's shoulder the entire ride home. I remember looking at Ash and Paul and thinking 'What the hell..?'

Then to make matters worse, May came back to the car after heading back to the arena for her guitar she left with tears streaming down her face. The ride back to the house was one I'd rather forget, and May still didn't tell us why she was crying. Actually...

"May, you never told us. What happened last night?" I asked.

"I guess I can't keep it to myself forever...I'll tell you three, but that's it. Don't tell anyone else, last thing I need is the press finding out. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even Drew."

I nodded. People seem to think we're all celebrities or something, because the press have done some pretty awful stories on a few of the other contestants already, and they're always hanging around outside the house, ugh! Go home losers! Leaf came over, finally getting out of bed. She was limping a little due to her ankle.

"Misty, get over here!" Leaf shouted and the orange haired girl walked over, sitting cross legged on the floor.

"What?" she asked.

"I have something that I need to tell you, all of you." May cleared her throat.

"Go on." Misty smiled encouragingly.

"When I went back for my guitar I saw...Drew kissing Brianna." she paused for a split second before saying his name. I noticed Misty looking angry, but I guess she forced herself to remain calm.

"I made myself walk away and get my guitar without running over there and slapping her or something, you know, since he hasn't figured out her true colours yet. But then I ran into Drew before I could get out of there." her voice turned to a whisper. "I think he realised you know. What a jerk he's been and how he's clearly not being himself, but I didn't care. I started to yell at him and I just couldn't stop. I can't even remember half the stuff I said to him. He looked like he was about to cry...I bet I said horrible things..." May put her head in her hands.

"May, you have got to stop putting yourself down like this! This was all down to him being an obnoxious jerk and choosing that bitch over his own bandmates! I even thought he liked you May, I really thought." Leaf looked so surprised at May putting the blame on herself of all people.

"Well obviously he doesn't like me! And thank god for that! I'm sick of being upset. This is the only day off we get, that is unless we kicked off the show tonight." May got up and briskly opened the curtains, blinding me for a few small seconds. With all this drama, I'd totally forgotten about the show tonight! Aw man, if we got booted off in the first week that would be terrible...

"Oh my god!" Leaf shrieked at the top of her voice, dropping her iPhone on the floor in total shock.

"What's up?" Misty asked.

"You guys will not believe this. Dawn, laptop now." Leaf looked really confused.

"Can't you get it? It's only on my bed over there!" I whined.

"Ankle's dead. Sorry!"

I let out an overdramatic sigh and grabbed my laptop from my bed, turning it on. Leaf grabbed it off me and started to type furiously. She then played a video on YouTube and I watched in amazement. It was us, last night during our performance. We hadn't watched it back yet, and I couldn't believe how weird it was to see myself on the screen! Déjà vu much?

"It's obvious somebody would post it, I saw that coming. Why did you freak out?" Misty asked, blunt and straight to the point. As always.

"Look at the views."

Oh. My god.

"26 million views? This is a joke right?" May looked dazed and confused, I didn't blame her.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Leaf blinked.

"How did you find out?" I asked.

"I just checked my Twitter, to find out I had tons of followers, and I'm getting flooded with messages, some of them posting this video of our performance asking if we'd seen it yet. This is madness." Leaf put her head in her hands, clearly bemused.

"Girls, come here." Misty held out her arms and we hugged her tight. The video was still playing on my laptop in the background, and it was my solo part.

"Do I really sound like that?" I asked, making May laugh.

"We need a totally different approach to our next song! Let's all write it together!" The look of shock disappeared from Leaf's face and was replaced by a squeals of delight.

"God Leaf, we haven't got through to the next weeks show yet, remember?" Misty rolled her eyes and shook her head, but she was smiling.

"Are you kidding? Everyone knows who we are, they'll vote for sure!" Leaf grinned like an idiot, bless her.

"Let's hope so Leaf. Sunday's our day off anyways, lets enjoy today and stop being so miserable! I'm sick of it!" I smiled and the girls grinned.

"I still feel like shit though." May murmured. She hadn't spoken much since she told us about last night.

"Well don't. Don't think about Drew, and don't you even dare think about Brianna! I've had enough of it all!" Misty spoke and May nodded her head obediently.

After we all changed, we headed downstairs. Most of the other contestants were downstairs.

"Ginger! Princess! December! ...and Leaf." Gary sniggered as he said that last part, which infuriated Leaf.

"Princess..? Where'd you get that from?" I asked as I realised that was my nickname and Gary got out his phone and showed me a picture of the girls and myself during our performance last night. He would have a picture of us on his phone, wouldn't he?

"Because." he said, zooming in on the picture. "Last night you looked like a princess. We all said so."

I blushed a little and looked at myself in the picture. I didn't think I looked like a princess at all, although inside I definitely felt like one last night.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked and Gary laughed.

"I don't know, is it?" he smiled before walking off.

"December, really?" May put a hand on her hip and shouted after Gary, who looked back and smirked as he walked out of the room.

"I'm getting sick of this place, I need to get out of here for a while!" Leaf complained.

I know what she means. Although this place is huge compared with my home comforts, it's almost definitely getting cramped with so many people living together under one roof, and we sometimes tend to get under each others skin. Not to mention I'm basically living out of my suitcase. Four girls staying in the same room together isn't as good as it sounds, trust me. Especially when one of those girls is Leaf. But there are times when it's worth it. Like last night for example, before it turned sour.

"Hey Dawn! We're going out, May just said Ever Grande is an awesome place for shopping, so we're going! Come on! This place is total paradise!" Leaf looked so excited.

"I'd rather not, if that's okay. I just don't really feel like it. My hair is just disgusting today and I have awful cramps right now." I collapsed on the sofa.

"Oh, really? Sure thing. See you later Dawn." May smiled.

"We'll be back soon. Just chill out today Dawn." Misty finished putting on her strikingly red converse and headed for the door. May and Leaf said goodbye and followed her, although Leaf was limping behind the other two.

"I'm surprised you didn't go with them."

I looked up in surprise to see the familiar plum haired boy looking down at me.

"What do you want Paul?" I sighed, averting my gaze from the television. I felt myself gazing intently into his emotionless charcoal-like eyes, unable to look away.

"Hm. I was just wondering." Paul exhaled sharply, walking off.

"Wait a sec..." I called after him and he turned around, a bored expression on his face. "Are your eyes naturally that colour?" I asked and a smile played at his lips for a few small seconds, before subsiding into a thin line of no feeling. I shivered uneasily.

"Yep." Paul answered.

"You aren't very talkative are you?" I spoke as an awkward silence filled the air. Time seemed to move ever so slowly.

"I'm more of a listener than a talker." he shrugged.

"I can tell. I think you guys did good last night, you seemed totally in your comfort zone. That was a surprise." I complimented and Paul laughed a little, sitting down next to me.

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover Troublesome. There are many things you don't know about me."

"Will you stop calling me that? I'm sick of pointless nicknames and I am so not Troublesome!" I whined and Paul ran a hand through his hair.

"Are all girls this fucking annoying?" He smirked. I tried to lash out at him but he was faster, grabbing my wrists and holding them tight before I could even touch him. I tried to get out of his grasp and without any warning, he let go and sniggered as I fell back onto the floor and onto my head. Thank God for carpet. I realised the white summer dress, decorated with rosy red cherries, that I was wearing had risen indefinitely so I scrambled up to my feet and pulled my dress back down. The blood rushed to my face as I caught him stealing a glance. What a perv!

"What's going on in here then?"

My face reddened even more as I turned my attentions to Gary who was casually leaning against the door, looking particularly cheery this morning.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked. I didn't want to know the answer at all, yet I couldn't resist the urge to ask.

"Long enough Princess. Although Paolo over there definitely had a better view than I did."

Paul cast his eyes down, unable to look at either of us.

"Awkward times huh. I'll leave you two alone now, being the totally awesome guy that I am. And Dawn?"

"Yeah..?"

"Nice boy shorts!" Gary grinned and skipped off. Dammit! I was praying he wasn't looking. Guess I was wrong. I glared after that stupid idiot and my face flamed up. Paul started to laugh darkly, it was a little weird actually...

"You're a creep Paul! Gary too!" I snarled before turning around and walking away.

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><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

As Dawn hurriedly left the room, her face as red as the cherries on her dress, Paul had a smirk on his face as he rested his head on the sofa, watching whatever happened to be on TV at that moment. He would never admit it to anyone, but he thought that Dawn looked awfully cute when she was embarrassed like that. The door to the front room burst open, but Paul made no attempt to see who was standing there, too caught up in his thoughts.

"Paul."

That voice sounded cold and spiteful, Paul couldn't help himself and looked straight into the eyes of the pink haired girl. He sensed something. There was a strange aura of hatred and passion emitting from the girl as her eyes burned into his dark pupils. Paul closed his eyes, yet he could still feel her stare upon him.

"What?" he rudely barked.

"You shouldn't mess around with her Paul. If you know what's good for you." Ursula shut the door and sat down next to the silent eighteen year old. Paul couldn't hold his tongue any longer.

"Why not? It's a free country." he glared.

A mean smile played at Ursula's lips. "I knew she wouldn't have told you. Typical Dawn, wanting every guy she sees. It'll all backfire sooner or later." She tossed her hair and stood up, nearly standing on a phone lying in the middle of the floor. Maybe she would have stood on it too if it didn't start to chime. She bent down and picked up the phone, letting out a little cackle.

"You might wanna read that." she threw the phone at Paul and walked out. He carefully studied the touch screen phone in front of him. He was 100% certain it was Dawn's. She must have dropped it when she fell off the sofa.

The message was from...Lucas?

'Whoever that is...' He thought, feeling the sudden urge to press 'Read' right now.

He wasn't one to pry and look into other people's private messages, but hey, he'd never been in this situation before. Plus, the thought of not knowing who this mystery 'Lucas' was, was a feeling he hated. Curiosity finally got the better of Paul. He opened the message, totally unprepared for what was to come.

_"Dawn, just...wow. Seeing you perform on that stage last night made me realise how much I love you. You're amazing, don't ever change. I need to talk to you, call me when you're not being famous for five minutes;) -L x"_

Paul read the message over and over, processing it in his mind, feeling the strange urge to punch something right now. His emotions were spinning out of control, and if it weren't for a certain green haired bandmate walking in at the right moment, then he would have just done a lot more than just hurl Dawn's phone across the room...

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><p><strong>«Gary's POV»<strong>

"What? Dawn's with someone? Oh shit!" I asked, shocked when Drew nodded his head. Crap. Let's hope her guy never, ever comes here. I don't want to die.

I looked over to see Paul sitting silently on his bed, his fists clenched tightly and he wasn't moving at all. He looked frozen in time.

I looked up and Drew and I made eye contact with him for a brief moment. I guess I appreciate him helping prevent Paul from rampaging all over the room, but that didn't take away the fact that he chose Brianna over us.

"Look..." he began.

"Yeah, you're going to tell me how sorry you are, I get it." I interrupted him, folding my arms.

"Yeah, but I really mean it. I was such a jerk to you guys, the girls too..."

"Damn right you were." I nodded.

"I hate feeling like this, and I hate not talking to you all. Even Misty for gods sake!" Drew looked desperate...and well, I couldn't hold grudges, no matter how hard I tried.

"I hate it too...you're human like the rest of us Drew, you make mistakes. Just don't choose a chick over us again. No matter how cute she is." I watched as Drew's face lit up into a grateful smile. We weren't friends as such, but maybe one day we'll get there.

"Well at least you didn't have to put up with Misty shrieking her head off, Leaf crying into my shoulder and May nearly collapsing in the car last night..." I smiled weakly, trying not to think back to last night. Females!

"What was that about May?" Drew asked, his face full of concern for a small second, before it turned neutral. "...not that I care or anything."

"Sure." I smirked and Drew opened his mouth to protest.

"Hey! Who's is this?" I turned around to see Ash holding a beautiful guitar in his hands. Although if he held it any longer it probably wouldn't look so beautiful. I'm such a meanie.

"Get the fuck off it!" Drew growled, leaping up and grabbing the instrument from Ash so fast it seemed like a blur to me.

"Sorry Ash..." he muttered, looking at Ash's startled facial expression. "It's just this thing means the world to me. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to it."

"I didn't know you could play guitar..." Paul spoke up. He seemed to have calmed down, thank goodness, but I couldn't feel any kind of emotion radiating from the guy at all.

"Yeah, my...dad taught me when I was a kid." After speaking, Drew blinked rapidly and exhaled sharply.

"Damn I miss home." I bit my lip.  
>"I didn't think it'd be this hard, you know?" I smiled weakly. It was true, even though I've only been gone a week, I miss my tiny house and my family in Pallet Town so badly.<p>

"We're acting like such girls..." Paul sighed, his head in his hands.

"Yeah, except we're not as bitchy." Drew laughed and I joined in.

"On the subject of girls, where are Misty, May and Leaf anyways? I haven't seen them all day. I guess they probably went out." I spoke, basically answering my own question. Paul opened his mouth to speak, but he closed it as fast as he opened it.

"I don't think they're here." Ash concluded, trying to sound smart. I groaned.

"No shit, stupid." I sighed. How he and I became the best of friends is still a mystery to me. He's an idiot. But I guess he's my idiot.

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><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Hiya! This chapter seemed to take me forever to write, even though it's kinda short? It just wouldn't go right:') Yay for Ikarishipping, I adore it!:D Oops, looks like Paul finally found out about Lucas. I actually didn't plan for that to happen just yet, so really I don't know what happened there XD And Ursula strikes again!-.-

Also, I probably won't get chance to update next week because I have an important science exam on Thursday (which I am freaking out over!) and I need to revise for it. I swear school controls my life sometimes:(

Maybe the girls will forgive Drew, then again maybe they won't. We'll see. Until then, please leave a review if you want, I love to hear your opinions! :D

:)~


	8. Chapter 8: Cross Misty, Prepare For Pain

Chapter 8: Cross Misty, Prepare For Pain

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><p><strong>Roselia124<strong> - Aw, thanks so much!:) I like your ideas a lot, you weren't asking too much at all. May's definitely going to be disappointed in him. Hmm...Drew singing to May. I like the sound of that;) You'll just have to wait and see what happens though, because even I don't know at this point xD I haven't planned ahead on anything:')

**Fprmr1** - Thank you, you're so sweet!:) Ikarishipping is flippin' amazing, who cares if Dawn has a boyfriend?xD Ahaha, yep, Ash was rather stupid wasn't he? Here's my answer: I didn't put in the lyrics intentionally but when I read your review, I realised that what Paul said sounded really similar to that part of I'd Lie, I didn't even notice before that:')

**Bradley8155** - Aha, gotta love a bit of Ikari, right?:D Don't worry, I'm already thinking of ways those two could meet each other;) Although I'm not saying anymore. Aw, thank you! :)~

**LoveLoverGrl** - Thanks! That means a lot:-)

**xRissychanx -** I'm with you there, when I'm writing the parts with Dawn and Paul, I have to keep reminding myself she's dating Lucas or I'll forget about it xD Thanks, I like to be a little different from other fics!:) Ooooooh you'll just have to see what happens in the Ikari part of the story, cause it's going to get interesting. :)~

**Missy** - Omg, the end of your review made me laugh xD It totally made my day:D Hm. I never did think about how many views the boys got. That's a good point though. Yup, you're right there! Although Leaf thinks he does it to annoy her xD Yes, yes she should. *plans ways for Dawn to get revenge* Hehe. Ursula just has to ruin everything, doesn't she? Don't worry, I plan to bring him in...at some point. I haven't planned anything yet. Thank you! :)~

**LuvAllPokemon** - Aw, your review made me smile on one of my worst days, so I thank you for that!:) I'm so glad I got the emotions right, that's a relief:') Aha, they are aren't they?;) Lol, Gary's just a flirt in general.

**aznpandagrl** - Ehehehe, I try to vary the POV between the boys and the girls, but it usually ends up going to the girls xD There's a mix in this chapter though:) Ahaha I like surprises:D I love how you weren't surprised at Gary though, that made me laugh xD Hm. I didn't write a lot about the trip, but you may be onto something there;) We'll see. :)~

**Lil'MissEya** - Aw, thank you so much:D I've done a list of songs I might use for the girls/boys and I just added Better Than Revenge to that list:) Thanks for the suggestion!

**pokemonSLR** - Yay! There's so much Ikari love xD It will definitely take longer for Drew to convince May that he's sorry, but I'm already thinking about how he's going to do it...xD I don't know about that, but we'll see. I'd love it if he showed her up like that, but I have to wait for the perfect moment:') Your idea's really good! Thank you!:)

**SYKpop7** - Aha, Ikari's one of my favourite shippings too! I love it, but Contestshipping is my all-time fave:D Ursula's a mean girl, isn't she? :)~

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><p>Disclaimer - Still don't own Pokemon. Surprisingly.<p>

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><p><strong>«Gary's POV»<strong>

"I can't believe we have to wear our outfits from last night again, after I bought so much stuff today too!" Leaf whined. It was the evening, and Leaf and I were standing in the hallway just talking. She seemed relaxed about the show tonight, unlike me. I was so nervous! This was not like me at all.

"Stop complaining, you look fine." I spoke dismissively and Leaf put her hands on her hips.

"Fine..? I look fine? Is that it?"! she glared at me. I groaned, she is such a diva!

"Okay, sheesh! You look beautiful okay?" I swallowed my pride so she'd shut up for five minutes, but I felt a weird feeling inside the pit of my stomach after I said those words. Leaf was speechless for once, her jaw dropped open in shock. I suppose I've never really complimented her like that before now I think about it.

"Really?" she asked wistfully, sounding rather modest. That makes a change.

"I guess..." I was cut off by Leaf suddenly wrapping her arms around me. I was stunned for a second, but I returned the favour and hugged her back. The weird feeling came back to me, making the blood rise to my face. This was seriously unexplainable.

"Thank you Gary...that's the nicest thing you've ever told me. You really are sweet." she nuzzled her head against my shoulder, being careful not to smudge her makeup at the same time. This was usually the point where I'd make a sarcastic comment and she'd start yelling in my ear, but right now I just didn't have the heart to do that. What the hell?

"Cute." came a sweet sounding voice. Leaf's smile faded and was replaced with a scowl. She whipped her head around and icily glared at the blonde haired, blue eyed girl standing behind us. Oh shit...she was the girl that Leaf weirdly attacked the other day, I had to separate the two of them before they ripped each other apart. I still don't know why she did that.

"Leave us alone Veronica!" Leaf snarled. It felt so awful to be stuck in the middle of this, but my arm was snaked around Leaf's waist from before, and she was making sure it stayed there by clamping her own arm down, crushing it against mine. There was no escaping this...

Dammit Leaf!

"Why are you being so hurtful? What have I done?" Veronica looked upset and our eyes met for a small moment, until she shyly looked away.

"Are you serious? You know what you did, you bitch! Stop trying to play innocent with me!" Leaf was furious right now, and I had no idea what to do. I felt so useless!

"I don't know, okay! I didn't come to start an argument!" Veronica ran a hand through her hair and turned on her heels, quickly heading away. I felt a little bad for her...Leaf just went from sweet girl to bitch in a mere second, and I didn't like it. That's not the Leaf Green I know.

"What's your problem Leaf? You could have just ignored her if she was bugging you." I sighed, shaking my head. She was shocked.

"Gary, listen to me..." she pleaded.

"Forget it, I don't care. I'll see you later, maybe when you've calmed down a little." I yanked my arm from her grasp and walked off to go find the other guys. I wasn't in the mood for this shit right now.

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><p><strong>^Leaf's POV^<strong>

"...and if you turn out like Drew I swear to god I'm gonna punch you in the face!" I finished yelling a mountain of insults down the corridor of the arena to Gary, who just brushed off every single one of them as he went. Ugh! He was so sweet complimenting me like that, and then she shows up, Bam! Like an unwanted black storm cloud looming over you. And then he's too shallow minded to see through Veronica's little act! Really Gary?

"Leaf? What's up?" Solidad and Brendan (a male contestant in Jordan's category) came running over as they saw me yelling. I took a deep breath and leant against the wall, tilting my head to look at the dim lighting above me, doing anything I could to take my mind off Gary.

"I'm fine." I said, although I was lying through my teeth. I was so mad I wanted an AK47 and I wanted to shoot Gary multiple times in the head. Maybe then he'd see sense.

"You don't look fine." Brendan commented as I snapped out of in my thoughts.

"Well I am. I'm going back to see the girls, but thanks for your concern anyways." I smiled gratefully. Solidad looked uneasy, but she left. Brendan on the other hand, didn't move.

"You can go now." I smiled and turned, walking back to our dressing room. I looked back to see him casually following me.

"What are you doing? Go away! Leave!" I didn't want to be rude, but this guy was annoying me now. He ignored my comments and followed me back to the dressing room, despite my sighs and growls. I opened the door and Brendan was still standing behind me!

"Hey Leaf. Oh, what are you doing here Brendan?" Misty asked, sounding relaxed and composed.

"I really don't know why he's here." I answered Misty's question myself and took the seat next to her on the couch. I watched, my eyes narrowing as Brendan gazed at May's beloved guitar in the corner.

"Do you like it?" May asked, I guess she noticed him looking.

"It's nice. Did you learn to play it when the Guitar Hype was going on?" Brendan walked over and sat near May.

"You know about that?" May asked and Brendan smiled.

"Sure I do, I was part of it." he laughed.

"Guitar Hype? What's that" I repeated, not really sure what the two of them were talking about.

"It's rude to eavesdrop Leaf!" May taunted. "But if you must know, the 'Guitar Hype' sprung up over here around four years ago, I'd just turned thirteen. Basically, guitars were so popular in Hoenn back then and anybody who was anybody owned one. Most people my age from Hoenn know how to play guitar, it was a big deal." she explained and I nodded, as it cleared a few things up for me.

"So whereabouts are you from?" Brendan asked May. I stopped paying attention to their conversation and yawned, taking out my iPhone and looking through the many tweets people were sending me, most of them wishing the girls and I luck for tonight. I still couldn't believe this was happening, it doesn't seem real.

It was like today for example. Misty, May and I only went shopping for some clothes, yet we had so many people spot us and ask for pictures and autographs, with some even following us around for the entire day! It was insane! Someone even stole a t-shirt I'd bought from one of my shopping bags!

"Girls, Brendan too! Show's starting!" Dawn trilled and we all turned our attentions to the three judges on the screen, who were walking out to take their seats on the panel.

"Keira looks really pretty." Misty and I coincidentally spoke at the same time. It was true, she looked like a total model!

"Hey guys, have any of you seen my tiara around today at the house? I couldn't find it anywhere..." May paused her conversation with Brendan and she looked slightly worried. My eyes swivelled to the top of her head and sure enough, she wasn't wearing her tiara like the rest of us were.

"You've lost it?" Dawn gasped. The tiaras were a present from Dexter for agreeing to join as a band, I can't believe she's lost it! After only a couple of days too...

"I'll bet it's at the house, we'll find it May. We'll just have to look for it later." Misty smiled, cheering May up. She took off her own tiara, being careful it didn't tangle up in her tousled curls.

"What are you all doing?" May asked as Dawn took off her tiara too. I finally got the message and took mine off my head, being careful not to catch it in my own hair.

"If you can't wear your tiara tonight, then we won't wear ours." Dawn shrugged.

"Thank you...that's so sweet of you all." May looked so grateful. She's such a sweet girl, even if she is a bit of a klutz at times.

"It's fine, don't worry." I smiled and put my tiara on the table next to Misty and Dawn's.

We stayed in the room for a while watching a few guest celebrities perform on stage while the votes came in, and it wasn't long before the voting process had drawn to a close. That was when I felt knots tighten in my poor stomach.

"I gotta go and find the rest of the guys, Jordan too. Bye girls. See you later May." Brendan smiled at directly at May and she giggled.

"I think we should go too, but unfortunately we have to stand with our stupid category." Misty sighed and I knew what she meant. The boys (excluding Drew and possibly Gary) I was okay with. It was Electric Heart that were the problem. I hated Veronica with a passion right now, but I wasn't going to speak to her.

Misty helped me up off the sofa and we headed out to find the boys standing with Dexter. My eyes swivelled to Gary's, and when he saw me he just grinned. That guy cannot hold grudges, seriously. I ignored him and started talking to Ash, who had me laughing hard within a few seconds. He's such a sweetheart.

"I need to go talk to Misty, see you later Leaf." Ash nodded after our conversation had finished and ran over to the orange haired girl who was talking to Gary at the present moment. The two of them walked off and Gary headed my way.

"Go away." I said childishly, he just sniggered at me.

"I could almost swear you're trying to avoid me." he said casually.

"You were the one who walked off on me!" I argued back.

"I said I'd talk to you later, you know I can't stay mad at you for long." Gary smirked.

"You had no reason to be mad at me anyway, I did nothing wrong." I felt like being stubborn, and I knew I was testing his patience. Take that hedgehog!

"You were being mean...and I don't want to talk about that anyway." Gary quickly steered the conversation away from earlier as I was full on glaring at him now.

"What do you want to talk about then?" I asked impatiently.

"Well..."

"Come on guys, girls too. Let's go. All of you better get through to next weeks show, you hear? Dexter nodded jokingly and we started to walk to the stage. I glanced at Gary as he headed back over to where the other guys were standing. Near to where Electric Heart were standing, unfortunately. I could see Veronica looking at him.

"I'll tell you later...if we're still here that is." Gary turned as he was walking and he smiled at me. I could tell he was nervous.

The other categories were standing on the stage, and as the presenter announced the groups to come out, I felt like throwing up. All three of us groups walked on stage with Dexter and the lights faded suddenly. The crowd was silent. I grabbed a tight hold of Misty's hand on my right, and May's hand on my left. I squeezed them both tightly. I'd never been this scared in my life.

"In no particular order, the first act through to the next round is..."

I started to shake, really really badly. A bunch of terrible thoughts came into my head that we'd be leaving today. That can't happen! It just can't!

"Ursula Urara!"

Ursula's face lit up as she hugged Keira and the other girls in her category. I swear I heard Dawn growl. I also noticed that Paul was fiercely glaring at her when she walked past him on her way to backstage. I wonder why?

"The second act through to next weeks show is..."

We listened and waited as the presenter reeled off a bunch of other names; Marina, Brendan, Brock, Solidad and Electric Heart among others. I almost swore Veronica was laughing at me when they headed backstage. It took a lot of willpower and fake smiles to remain calm and still.

"The next act through is..."

I glanced at May to see her physically shaking. I squeezed her hand tightly and she smiled nervously. She really does need to believe in herself more.

"Midnight Run!"

At that very moment, a deafening roar of feminine applause and screams rocketed throughout the arena. I was taken aback by it all, and I think the boys were too, as they didn't react for a few seconds. They quickly celebrated with Dexter before running off backstage together. I saw Gary smirk at me as he flew past, and I just grinned. At least they're through...now it's just us left.

It was down to three acts. Us, Jasmine and Kenny. I started to inwardly panic as I knew if we didn't get through right now, we'd have to sing again. Then the judges would make a decision on who goes. Oh god!

"The final act through to the next round is..." he waited for what seemed like an eternity before speaking out.

"...Tiger Rose!"

A huge smile appeared on my face as I hugged the girls, and a very relieved looking Dexter, before we all headed backstage. I felt a little bad for the two who had to sing again, but what the hell! We're through! We're freakin' through!

"You almost had me worried for a second there Leaf." Gary was grinning from ear to ear as he saw us appear. [A/N: I rhymed! XD]

Okay. I take back what I said earlier about the whole shooting him in the head scenario. But if he turns out like Drew I will punch him. I mean it.

"You had no reason to be worried. We're gonna kick your asses next week!" All traces of being scared had just disappeared, and I was getting so excited for next weeks show!

"Whatever. Man that was scary...come here you little drama queen, I need a hug after all that." Gary yawned and held out his arms. I wrapped my own around him tightly, giggling in his ear. Somehow, Gary and I had become even closer these past few days, he'd would have never hugged me before unless I forced him to. We truly had a bond that couldn't be broken, soppy as it sounded.

"So what was it you wanted to say earlier?" I asked, recalling that moment in the back of my mind.

Gary frowned for a minute before he remembered. "Oh right! I wanted to ask you if-"

"Hello? Hate to spoil the moment lovebirds but we need to get this idiot out of here!" Misty sighed and tapped her foot impatiently as Ash was actually on the floor laughing hysterically at something, with Paul, Dawn, May and Drew looking on in pure amazement. Who actually ROFL's in real life?

Oh yeah. Ash Ketchum, that's who.

As I realised what Misty just said about Gary and I, my face involuntarily flushed peony. Gary also looked a little embarrassed, he couldn't look me in the eye as we parted.

"We can't leave yet!" May announced. "We have to watch the sing off between Jasmine and Kenny!"

"But I never even spoke to either of them!" Misty groaned and complained, but we ended up staying. She pulled Ash up from the floor, grabbed him by the ear and pulled him inside our dressing room. He was still laughing!

"I swear he is not normal!" she whined.

"Shut up Ginger. Can't control your little boyfriend huh?" Gary smirked, clearly getting his own back on Misty's previous comment.

Bad move there Gary...

"Boyfriend? Oh, you are so going to regret saying that." Misty smirked, Gary's smile faltered and as he tried to bolt out of her way, she was faster, quickly grabbing hold of his spiky hair and pulling it. Gary's facial expression was hilarious! I couldn't help but laugh, even if it was mean.

"Oww! Drew! Get this fucking maniac off of me!" Gary whined, trying to push Misty away and failing miserably. She was surprisingly strong, despite her small figure.

"No way. She'd bite my head off." Drew smirked, flicking his hair.

"Damn right I would.

"Leaf, help! She's gonna kill me!" Gary turned to me, as Ash had no intention of getting up. Gary had a wistful expression on his face and I couldn't help but smirk. Like hell was I helping him. He needs to learn not to cross Misty.

I just laughed and sat down next to May on the couch, who was watching Misty in awe. With all the yelling and laughing going on, I couldn't hear the TV. Why do they have to be so loud and annoying! Ugh!

"Do you think we should stop him?" May asked, looking at Ash. She looked a tad worried, I couldn't say I blamed her. He looked like a hysterical maniac right now.

"No." I smiled, content as Misty finally let Gary go. I watched him rush off to the nearest mirror to re-do his hair. He's so vain.

Although seeing him at mercy to Misty was funny, I was still his best friend. I wouldn't wish Misty's wrath on anyone.

Well, maybe Veronica.

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

"Eww, my hands feel disgusting! What the hell does he put in his hair?" Misty complained, wiping her hands discreetly on the back of the couch. I think he must have had a mountain of hair gel coated on his hair because there's no way anybody could have hair that spiky and call it natural, there's just no way.

"You didn't have to touch it though." May shrugged. When she wasn't being a dithering klutz, May's a pretty carefree character, always daydreaming and playing that damn guitar of hers. I think it's her best friend.

"You know I had to, he was talking shit." Misty folded her arms in a standoffish kind of way.

"He was only kidding around Mist. That's what guys like him do." I smiled and she rolled her eyes. "By the way, what was it that Ash was laughing about?"

"You don't want to know, it's so stupid." she shook her head and looked right at Ash, who just cheerily waved at her. He only stopped the laughter around five minutes ago, the silence was golden.

"Dawn...Paul's been giving you strange looks all night. Any reason why?" Leaf leaned over and whispered in my ear, so it was inaudible to Paul. I thought of the embarrassing situation I was in earlier, and my cheeks flamed slightly. I really do need to tell the guys I have a boyfriend at some point...especially Gary. And Paul for that matter. I couldn't help but steal a glance at him. He looked deep in his thoughts but he was looking right at me, no hint of life whatsoever in his eyes. I suddenly felt extremely self conscious.

"Aww, poor guy." Leaf commented as the three judges made their final decisions and Kenny was the first one to leave the show. Jordan looked angry that one of his contestants had gone in the first week, that's for sure.

"That's too bad. Can we go now?" Misty asked, a hint of bitterness in her voice.

"Sure." I sighed, irritated at Misty's tone. The eight of us got up and I headed out of the door. Paul suddenly stopped in his tracks when he was walking and I slammed straight into the back of him. He turned around and glared icily at me. I was a little taken aback by that, he seemed okay earlier...

"Paul?" I whispered, a little scared, but he just ignored me and stomped off with Drew.

I only knew it was a matter of time before Drew made up with the guys, I already saw it coming. Although I'm not forgiving the jerk that easily.

"Man, what crawled up his ass and died?" I looked up to see Leaf standing by my side, her curly chocolate coloured hair slightly brushing against my shoulders. Huh, when did she get there?

"I have no idea Leaf." I sighed as I watched Paul leave, feeling more and more captivated each time he took a step, my sapphire eyes burning into the back of his head. I shouldn't be staring at him like this, but I couldn't help myself.

"Let's go. By the way, have any of you guys seen my phone? I haven't seen it since this morning." I asked and I watched Drew sharply turn around and lock eyes with me for a split second. He then whispered something to Ash who was standing on his left. That was weird...

"So, about the song writing. Should we start tomorrow?" Leaf said casually, making us all giggle. I should have had more faith in her that we'd get through, but I had no idea what was going through my mind earlier. The waiting around, not knowing our fate, really did drive me insane.

The ride back to the house was a quiet one, but there was a friendly aura emitting from everyone. It was us four girls, but Brendan was with us too as there was no room for him in the other cars. Or so he said. He was in deep conversation with May, talking about who knows what. Those two had been getting along like a house on fire, it was actually quite cute. I noticed Leaf staring at them, a smirk playing at her lips. May better be ready for some serious teasing later on, I know what Leaf's like.

I got out of the car with Brendan taking my hand and helping me out of there, he's a sweet guy.

Misty pushed open the front door and the five of us walked into the front room. Gary and Ash were already sitting there, so Leaf skipped over and slipped herself in-between the two of them. Aw, three best friends snuggled together on the couch, so cute!

Misty slowly walked past, giving Gary a sly look. He gulped. I think he might be afraid of her now, as funny as it seems. Brendan and May went to join the others, and I yawned sleepily, resisting the urge to rub my eyes. As I took a step forward, I noticed something glint in the corner of my eye. I turned around and spotted a phone just lying there on the floor. It looked like it had been pushed aside, out of sight. I picked it up and sure enough, it was mine. How did it get here? I pressed the 'on' button and an already read message from Lucas just appeared on the screen. My stomach churned. I hadn't opened this message.

I quickly paced back and forth, my hands shaky as I realised that somebody had snooped in my phone, typed in my passcode and read this message.

And I knew exactly who did it.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Ooooooh. Dawn sounds angry xD Just a question, who do you all think she's talking about at the end there? Lemme know what you think!

This chapter seemed kinda filler-ish to me, I don't know why. Ah well. It was so difficult writing it this week as so much happened in so little time, it's been a pretty bad time for me. If it weren't for my friends, family and reading all your kind reviews, I don't know what I would have done:) But enough of the life story, I hope you all enjoyed the Oldrival moments in this, cause I know I enjoyed writing them!:) I know I know I know this story is severely lacking in Contestshipping *cries* but I guess that can't be helped. Just stay tuned until it finally happens, I guess:')

I've already decided on what Tiger Rose's next song is going to be, but I haven't fully decided on Midnight Run's song, and it's driving me mad...-.-

Oh, and leave a review if you can, I adore reading them. Some of them really crack me up! xD I also want to thank everybody who's been reading and reviewing this story so far, it means a lot. Also thanks to those who've added this to their story alert or favourited it. (is that even a word?) Anyways, thank you all!

:)~


	9. Chapter 9: If They Only Knew

Chapter 9: If They Only Knew...

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><p><strong>Roselia124 <strong>- Ahaha, thank you! The parts with Gary and Misty were pretty fun to write, although they won't be getting together (I love Oldrivalshipping too much.) Their relationship is a little weird though, kinda like a brother/sister relationship...except the sister's pretty violent xD Ehehehe those scenes are coming, trust me on that one! :)~

**Fprmr1**- Sorry, no spoilers on what song it's going to be! I like surprises:D You'll find out soon anyways. Omg thankyou, that's so nice! You were right...but which one? xD

**pokemonSLR**- I like that song too, I'll consider it! :D Brianna didn't actually steal the tiara, but that's just given me an awesome idea! Thanks! :D

**Missy**- Omg it did, I only just realised! xD Ah well. Trust me, writing Electric Heart out of the story was VERY tempting, but I have plans for them so they have to stay-.- Hm, I don't know. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't;) Ehehehe :)~

**Bradley8155**- Thanks, I try to:)

**aznpandagrl**- Ahaha, gotta love Oldrival right? Omg that would be hilarious XD To be honest, I don't know why he went so hysterical either, I just needed a reason for Misty to be annoyed with him xD

**LoveLoverGrl** - Thanks! :)~  
><strong><br>LuvAllPokemon**- Ehehe have a little patience! xD You'll find out. Thanks so much! I'm so happy you're finding this to be unique, cause I do get bored of the reading the same kind of stories over and over again, drives me mad:') Chicken fat? Lol, that made me laugh XD I have big plans involving that little tiara, and that's all I'm saying;)

**SYKpop7**- Ahaha, they're all annoying to me xD And nope she wasn't in the anime, she's my OC as I needed a love rival for Leaf:) I bet you're not as dense as Ash though;)

**Lil'MissEya **- Hm, you'll just have to see what happens with the Brendan/May/Drew thing, Drew may just get bitten by the jealousy bug;)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I don't own anything Nintendo related, k? :D

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><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

"URSULA!"

Dawn's ear piercing scream caused me to nearly jump out of my skin. As we all turned to look her, she bolted for the stairs. I locked eyes with Brendan for a moment, he looked so confused. Then again, so was I.

"What the hell just happened?" a familiar cocky voice spoke from the kitchen doorway. It took a lot of willpower not to turn around and look at him. After all, I'm supposed to be mad at him.

"Women. That's what happened." Gary sniggered, then groaned as Leaf punched him in the arm.

"I just don't get it. What's the deal with Dawn and Ursula?" Leaf speculated. Gary sighed, getting up and turning on the Nintendo Wii, setting up a game of Mario Kart with Ash. I was about to reply to Leaf's question until Drew decided to walk past me, sitting on an opposite chair. I knew he was looking at me, I could see his emerald eyes boring into my sapphire ones. As much as I tried, I just couldn't help looking back at him. It's his eyes, I felt hypnotised by those beautiful eyes...

No! Stay focused May, remember what he did!

"So May, what are your plans for tomorrow?" Brendan asked, snapping me out of my little trance. I blinked a couple of times and looked at Brendan. His facial expression told me that looked a little peeved. I realised he probably noticed me staring at Drew and my cheeks turned a light shade of rose.

"Uh...well, the girls and I are going to start writing our song, but I think that's it. We're not going anywhere tomorrow." I smiled warmly.

"Well if you're not doing much, do you wanna do something tomorrow night?" he asked. I could see Drew's pissed off expression in the corner of my eye. I grinned. This could be the perfect way to get back at him, and well...Brendan's been so sweet to me all night.

"Sure!" I beamed, making sure to talk loudly. "What do you wanna do?"

Brendan thought for a moment. "How does...ice skating sound? There's a rink not too far from here."

"Perfect." I smiled, giving a very surprised Brendan a hug.

"Aww! You two are so cute!" Leaf squealed and my face flushed. Gary rolled his eyes and pushed her into Ash, his eyes placed firmly on the screen.

"What are you doing Leaf? You just made me fall off the freakin' rainbow!" Ash glared at Leaf, she looked shocked at his outburst. Wow, someone's sure competitive...

"It's not my fault, Gary pushed me!" she spoke, sounding very childish. Gary just smirked. Brendan and I turned our attentions to the tv and started to watch the next race.

"I'm so gonna win this, just like I won the last race." Gary boasted, smirking at Ash.

"You cheated! I had that thing won until you had go and push Leaf into me!"

"She was being annoying. Besides, stop making excuses Ashy Boy." Gary teased and Ash growled. I'd never seen him so focused on any one thing before.

"Are they always like this?" Brendan laughed.

"Oh you have no idea." I grinned and turned my attentions back to the race. The look of concentration on Gary's face was hilarious, but I held in my giggles. He'd only blame me if he lost.

Oh you did not just hit me with that red turtle thing!" Gary yelled at the screen. It wasn't even Ash who hit him, the madman was screaming at a computer.

"You two are so normal, playing Mario Kart at this time." Drew yawned, absentmindedly playing with his phone. I noticed him looking up from time to time, glaring at Brendan. What is his problem?

"Shut it Draw." Gary growled. I looked at Ash and saw a smirk playing at his lips, which was pretty rare for Ash. Then, in the blink of an eye he took one hand off the controller and pushed Leaf, who was engrossed in her phone, as hard as he possibly could. Leaf was totally surprised, wailing, losing her balance and falling onto Gary's lap of all places.

"Leaf! What the fuck!" Gary was furious as he crashed into the wall, everybody else rushing past him, including Ash.

"Why am I getting the blame again? It was him!" she pointed accusingly at Ash, who'd just come in first.

"Yay! Who's the best? I am!" Ash threw his controller into the air and it came down seconds later, hitting him square on the head.

"I didn't think he could get anymore stupid. I was so, so wrong." Leaf started to laugh.

"He cheated. By the way Leaf, are you comfy down there?" Gary asked, the tone of his voice light and breezy. Leaf blushed madly and sat up, shyly looking away from him. This was so not like her.

"I...I uh..." she stuttered. Gary just laughed at her.

"Aww, are my charms finally getting to you?" he teased and she glared at him.

"Charms? You're about as charming as a pile of dog shit!" Leaf folded her arms, regaining back her attitude.

"She's a feisty one there Gary." Drew smirked. Why does he have to get involved in something that has nothing to do with him! Ugh!

"Talk about hurting a guys ego Leaf!" Gary protested. She just laughed.

_"NO! I CAN'T DO THAT TO HIM!"_

The terrified shriek echoed into the room, shutting Gary and Leaf up in an instant. Shit, with all the competitive stuff going on and my date to think about, I'd totally forgotten about Dawn!

Brendan turned to me. "I'm getting a little tired May, I'm done for the day. See you tomorrow." he smiled. I hugged him tightly and he got up, looking back and smiling at me. Aww, he is so sweet!

As Brendan walked away I looked back at everyone, expecting the teasing of my life. Instead, everybody was silent and looking around at everybody else, not really sure what to make of the ear piercing scream that escaped from Dawn's lips moments before.

* * *

><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

**Earlier...**

_"URSULA!"_

Crushing her phone in the palm of her right hand, Dawn let out one of the loudest screams she'd ever accomplished. Not bothering to look back at the others, who no doubt would have stunned expressions on their faces, she instead turned for the stairs and hurried up the first two flights, mentally counting them as she went. She had to find the peach haired girl, and she had to find her now.

"You called?"

Dawn stopped dead in her tracks. Ursula was standing directly in front of her, and it was then she realised they weren't alone. Brianna, Veronica and Melody appeared standing side by side with Ursula, demeaning smirks on their faces. It was four against one, but Dawn refused to be intimidated. I mean, what was the worst they could do?

"Hello? Can you not talk or something?" Brianna put a hand on her hip, her annoyingly high pitched voice aggravating Dawn.

"Of course I can talk. I just don't wanna waste my breath on a pointless waste of space like you." Dawn snarled and Brianna laughed.

"Gosh, I'm hurt." she replied sarcastically.

"Whatever. I need to talk with her," Dawn pointed to Ursula. "Not you. Bye bye bitches." She mocked Electric Heart, waving them goodbye, and they gave her looks of disgust before heading off. Dawn was surprised they actually left, she wasn't expecting them to go.

"I'm all ears Dee." Ursula sneered, putting emphasis on the word 'Dee'. She twirled a bit of her hair around her finger. This angered Dawn.

"Don't ever call me that again. Do you understand what I'm saying to you right now?" Dawn gave her a death glare.

"Aww, is that name bringing up memories of your missing daddy?" Ursula mocked. Dawn felt a pang in her stomach. Ursula just hit a sensitive spot inside her, and she hit it with her poisonous words. Dawn braced herself, forcing herself to stay calm. She wasn't going to cry, not now. She refused.

"Stop." Was the only word that escaped from her mouth. To Dawn, it sounded like a pathetic bleat. Ursula knew she was getting under Dawn's skin and smiled to herself.

"No. See now, you aren't as strong without your little friends around are you?" Ursula simpered and Dawn knew she was right. Whenever she encountered Ursula in the house, she was always with May, Misty or Leaf. Every time they would help her out. Now though, they weren't here and Dawn felt like a scared little girl again, dreading the hellhole they call school. She shook the awful memories away, telling herself she was no longer that shell of a girl she once was. She was seventeen years old and had everything a girl could only dream of! She was a contestant on the most popular singing show on tv, she had a boyfriend who would do anything for her, and she had three girls on her side who could potentially become very special people in her life.

"Leave the girls out of this, they're better friends than you ever were." she glared at Ursula. "Also, why did you snoop through my phone?" Dawn asked, remembering why she'd confronted Ursula in the first place. She demanded an answer.

"Aww Dee. I apologise, but it wasn't me who peeped in your phone." Ursula shrugged, a smug expression on her face.

"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Dawn ignored the fact that Ursula had called her 'Dee' again, and she narrowed her ocean blue eyes suspiciously.

"Does this ring any bells to you?" Ursula got out her phone and showed Dawn a photo. As her eyes scanned the picture, she paled. It was a clear photo of her and Paul Shinji messing around in the front room from earlier today. Paul had a hold of her small wrists and, from the angle this was taken from, it really did look like they were kissing.

"Yep, I remember that." Dawn tapped her foot impatiently. "What are you getting at."

"Paul here was the one who read that text from your little boyfriend. And boy was he mad." Ursula smirked, looking like the cat that just got the cream.

Dawn thought back to around an hour ago, when they were back at the arena and she'd clashed with Paul. It explained the strange looks and the glaring. She felt terrible for not telling him about Lucas sooner. But alas, it was just too late.

"So it was Paul..." she murmured.

"You still haven't realised, have you?" she simpered.

"What?"

"Do you realise what I can do now? I could destroy you and your little band if I wanted to." She flicked her hair.

Then realisation dawned on her, crashing down like a ton of bricks. Ursula had Dawn ushered into a tight corner, just as she'd planned.

"You...you wouldn't." she whispered.

"I would. I own you Dawn...unless you want this picture to get out. But you don't want that, right? I can't tarnish the reputation of the perfect Tiger Rose!" Ursula mocked Dawn yet again.

"Don't do this...please Ursula!" she resorted to pleading, although it got her nowhere.

"I need you to do something. If you don't, then this picture is going to every major gossip magazine in all five regions." Ursula smirked with confidence. Dawn meanwhile, looked crestfallen. She wanted nothing more than to slap Ursula in the face and walk away, back to the girls.

Let people think what they want!

But then she thought of Lucas back home in Twinleaf. She'd promised to stay faithful to him before she left for Hoenn, and she couldn't break his promise, along with his heart. She wasn't that kind of person.

"Fine..." she sighed, her eyes brimming with tears. "What do you want?"

"I want you to go and kiss Paul Shinji. Mess with his head." Ursula grinned nastily.

"NO! I CAN'T DO THAT TO HIM!"

All traces of colour drained from Dawn's face as she screamed and she was powerless to stop the hot tears pouring down her cheeks. To cheat on Lucas was like hell itself, but lead Paul on at the same time? Dawn was crushed.

Dawn thought this whole situation through in her mind. If she didn't agree to Ursula's demand, then not only would Lucas never forgive her, but Tiger Rose's reputation would be in tatters. If people didn't vote for them, then they'd have to go home and leave the boys. Either way, it wasn't going to be easy for Dawn. But she refused to drag the girls down with her. Dawn was defeated.

"I hate you so fucking much." Dawn spat, dried her eyes and turned around, heading for the boys room as she was certain that was where Paul would be.

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><p><strong>•Paul's POV•<strong>

My eyes were closed and I was relaxing on my bed, music loud in my ears. I couldn't hear anything, I felt at peace with the world this way. I was still amazed we were here, I mean, anybody could have gone home tonight. Even us, although I didn't see it happening.

I opened my eyes to see the door handle turning, and I assumed it was Ash, Gary or Drew. How wrong was I? I took out my headphones and looked at the blunette who walked over, sitting demurely on the end of my bed. I'll admit, she looked stunning.

What am I saying, she has a boyfriend!

"What do you want Troublesome?" I sighed, sitting up. I was wearing only a pair of pyjama pants, and I could see her looking at my bare chest. She shrugged playfully.

"Why don't you take a guess, I mean, it should be pretty obvious to you..." she moved closer and I could feel her breath against my cheek. I tried so hard to resist, heck, I forced myself to resist her. But as soon as her soft lips came into contact with my own, my stomach felt like it was doing somersaults and I found myself easily kissing her back.

I mean, I've dated girls before but none of them could even compare to this.

She deepened the kiss and a few moments later, I found myself pinning her up against the wall, my hormones completely taking over my body. Dammit! Dawn swiftly broke the kiss, slowly caressing my cheek with her hand. She looked...scared? She turned around and tried to leave, but I wasn't having any of it, she started this. I grabbed her arm and pulled close to me, not really sure of what I was doing. It just felt...right? Man, I don't even know anymore.

"Paul! Hello?" a voice yelled from outside the door. Ugh.

"Piss off Leaf!" I growled back to the annoying brunette. Last thing I needed was that squealing idiot interrupting Troublesome and I.

"Why are you so rude? We just want to know if you've seen Dawn around?" Misty replied back. Ugh, she's worse than Leaf. And about ten times more violent...

I looked at Dawn and she quickly shook her head. I understood perfectly, I mean, why would anybody want to be around those irritating girls all day and night? I'd rather shoot myself.

"We're coming in!" May's bubbly voice arose and Dawn looked at me like a rabbit in headlights, frozen to the spot. I looked around and clapped eyes on the closet.

"In here!" I hissed to her, throwing open the doors. She literally hurtled inside, giving me a grateful smile as she closed the doors, hiding herself from the rest of her band. Just in time too.

"Paul! Have you seen her?" Misty asked again. I stared coldly at the three of them.

"Wow he looks hot without a shirt." Leaf giggled and May joined in. Ugh. Any other guy probably would have been flattered, but I'm not 'any other guy'

I ignored them. "Nope, haven't seen her. Now get out." I pointed to the door.

"Fine. Didn't you hear her screaming before though? We could hear her from downstairs." she asked and I was genuinely surprised by that. I hadn't heard any kind of shouting.

"No, I didn't hear anything." I spoke truthfully. Ironically, they didn't believe me.

"How could you not hear anything? Are you deaf or something?" May frowned.

"I'm speaking the truth, I didn't hear any shouting. Now leave me alone!" I walked over and personally opened the door for them to leave. They were really getting under my skin.

"Fine. Bye grumpy!" Leaf waved cheekily and I glared daggers at her until the three of them finally left. I slammed the door shut and Dawn meekly opened the closet doors.

"You're gonna give me a heart attack Troublesome." I shook my head and she suddenly attacked me with a hug. Not what I was expecting at all really.

"Thanks for covering for me...Leaf's not the easiest person to deal with." she smiled.

"Why'd you come in here?" I couldn't help but ask. Her eyes darted around the room for a second, unable to give me an answer.

"...because."

"Because what?" I was starting to becoming annoyed with Troublesome, she can't just come in here and kiss me like that and then give me no reason for it!

"Because I had to." she simply replied, still not looking at me. Oh yeah, like somebody forced her to come in here.

"What about...Lucas?" I asked, watching her body tense up.

"We fought. I don't want to be with him anymore." she shrugged a little sadly.

"So I'm a rebound? Gee thanks." I raised an eyebrow. Although I enjoyed her company a lot more than I should have done, this just doesn't seem like her. The other day she wouldn't even go near me! So why now would she choose to walk into my room and make out with me? I will never truly understand females.

"No...I think you're different from the other guys I know. I'm intrigued by you." she purred, her arms around my waist.

"Hmph." I managed to utter out. This girl was turning me into a blushing idiot! How she's doing it is beyond my knowledge.

"I gotta go...maybe I'll see you later?" the look of guilt had vaporised completely, and was replaced with one of the sweetest smiles I'd ever seen. Our hands entwined as she kissed me goodbye, it was slow and sensual this time, with actual meaning to it.

I watched her leave the room, captivated by her every step. I didn't like it that Dawn was cheating but if she wants to break up with him, is it okay? Ugh I don't care anymore, this pointless crap is giving me a headache.

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

Oh my god...that has got to be one of the hardest things I have ever done. I quietly closed Paul's door, willing myself to stay strong. I did what Ursula asked, and that's it. She can't blackmail me anymore. I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry myself to sleep, how could Ursula do this to me? What the hell happened to that same peach haired girl who used to cheer me up whenever I was down? The one who came over to my house for sleepovers most weekends and we did each others hair and make up, laughing and giggling coyly about the boys we liked? The one who bought me a beautiful pink bracelet for my fourteenth birthday, that's probably hidden in a drawer at home somewhere?

What happened to my best friend..?

I decided not to dwell on the past any longer. I had to stay positive no matter what. I got out my phone and began to text Lucas back.

"I'm sorry for not replying to you sooner, I was just so nervous. I love you and I miss you. So much it's killing me. I'll call you tomorrow, promise. :) —D xxx"

After I pressed send, the positivity I'd been hoping for vanished into thin air, and a second wave of guilt began to wash over me. I'm a horrible person. I'd lied to Paul, telling him I wanted to end my relationship with Lucas, where in actual fact I needed him more than ever. I felt like a cheating bitch, and that's exactly what I was. Throwing myself at Paul like that! I felt desperate and I hated the feeling. I hated the way he looked at me too. His smile...it just made me feel worse about myself. He'd saved me from a close call with the girls too...

I just want to go home.

"I'll admit, you did well there Dawn. Feeling guilty yet?"

I ignored her snide remarks and continued to walk to my room. I couldn't deal with her right now. The memory of how she became so spiteful played in my mind, over and over until I wanted to scream. I ended up picking up the pace and running away from that psycho as fast as I could. As I flung open the bedroom door, I could hear her quiet laughter from down the hallway.

"Dawn..?" May whispered.

May, Leaf and Misty were already changed to go to bed, make up scrubbed off their faces, and then there was me.

I blinked multiple times, keeping the tears from pouring down my cheeks. I couldn't tell the girls about this, even though I longed to.

"I'm okay." I uttered out those two words with as much confidence as I could muster up. Which wasn't a lot.

"No you're not okay." Misty shook her head, heading over to me. She wrapped her arms around me and the hug was so reassuring.

"What happened?" Leaf asked.

"Ursula snooped in my phone, and I yelled at her for it, then we started arguing...she said nasty things." I lied flawlessly, a trait I happened to be pretty good at. I think it was believable enough, because none of them questioned me any further than that.

"I know this may sound weird since it's quarter to one in the morning, but does you guys want to hear a song I've been writing?" May smiled, breaking the silence.

"Who cares what time it is? I'd love to hear a song!" Leaf grinned.

"Why the hell not? It's not like I'm tired." Misty laughed.

"Sure thing..." I smiled halfheartedly, quickly wiping a lonesome tear from my face. I went into the bathroom, quickly changing into an old t shirt and pair of pyjama bottoms, washing my face. I tied my hair up in a messy bun. I came back into the room and May already had out her guitar and she began to sing.

_Tall dark and super manly  
>Puts papers in his briefcase and drives away<br>To save the world, or go to work  
>It's the same thing to me<em>

_He's got his mothers eyes, his fathers ambition_  
><em>I wonder if he knows how much that I miss him?<em>

_I hang on every word you say_

_And you'll smile and say 'How are you?'_  
><em>I say, 'Just fine'<em>  
><em>I always forget to tell you I love you<em>  
><em>I love you, forever<em>

_I watched superman fly away_  
><em>You got a busy day today<em>  
><em>Go save the world<em>  
><em>I'll be around<em>

_I watched superman fly away_  
><em>Come back, I'll be with you someday<em>  
><em>I'll be right here, on the ground<em>  
><em>When you come back down.<em>

"I know it's not finished, but do you like it so far?" she asked. All three of us nodded eagerly, including me. May had somehow whisked me away from my problems for a few precious moments with her song writing talent. I was so thankful for that.

"That was beautiful, but is this song about Drew? Ugh, he is so totally jealous of Brendan, how unbelievable can you get?" Leaf the oh so blunt stated and May rolled her eyes.

"Of course I didn't write it about him! He's not my superman..." May was angered at first, but when she spoke that last sentence, her voice lowered. It was almost as if she was talking to herself.

"Sorry..." Leaf smiled sheepishly.

"It's okay." May grinned, putting away her guitar. "Thanks for letting me play, I'm going to bed. I need my beauty sleep for tomorrow after all."

"Oh yeah! Oh my god, what are you going to wear?" Leaf trilled excitedly.

"What?" Misty and I exchanged looks with each other, confused.

"May's got a date tomorrow." Leaf teased and May blushed a little.

"Really? With who?" I asked.

"Duh, isn't it obvious? Brendan of course!" Leaf answered the question herself. Honestly, I think Leaf sounds more excited about the date than May is, bless her.

After that I just zoned out completely, not listening to a word the girls were saying. A million thoughts zoomed in and out of my mind. I think I made the wrong decision...or did I make the right one? Only time will tell I suppose.

It still made me feel uneasy.

"Oh, and Paul looked so hot without a shirt, don't you agree Mist?"

Hearing Leaf say those words, I instantly snapped back to reality. However, unfortunately, the three of them seemed to notice this.

"Hm. Funny how Dawn starts to listen to us when Paul's name is mentioned." Misty grinned jokingly and the other two giggled. Oh if only they knew the half of what's going on. At that moment I wanted to open my big mouth and tell them everything, but I just couldn't. Whether I liked it or not, I'd made my decision and I had chosen to keep the reputation of myself and the girls alive, whatever the consequences may be.

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><p><strong>Author's Note<strong> - I really, really don't know how that happened, it just did XD I felt rather sorry for Dawn in this one, which is stupid of me since I wrote it xD But hey, at least I threw some Ikari in there;)

That aside, for some reason I didn't feel inspired to write anything Pokemon related this week, so I reread the awesome story What Boys Want by Surfergurl14. (which is a rarity, since I never reread stories on here) Not that it helped much, because all I wanted to do after that was plan May and Drew's wedding, ehehe:'D

This chappy was mainly Ikari with a tiny bit of Contest, Hoenn and Oldrival thrown in at the start, this time lacking Pokeshipping-.- But last night I had a brainwave about what I could do to include more of this shipping, and hopefully it'll work out!:D

Well done for reading all that, I kind of went on a bit there:') Please review as your opinions and hilariousness are what's keeping this story going, I couldn't do it without you all:D

P.S - Guess the Song! My song choice was rather easy to be honest:')

:)~


	10. Chapter 10: Action Speaks Now

Chapter 10: Action Speaks Now

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><p><strong>Ash and Gary are very OOC in this chappy, you'll see why later on<strong>

**Response to Reviews...**

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><p><strong>EmeraldHeart12<strong> - Yupyup, the Dawn and Paul situation will get ugly in the upcoming chapters xD That, I cannot wait to write.  
><strong><br>pokemonSLR**- Heehee, the Mario Kart bit was so fun to write, the guys are so competitive:') I love it too, I love most songs by Taylor:D Yeah, it's a valid point but if she told Paul then there'd be no Ikari;) Plus Dawn was an emotional wreck at the time...you get me. :)~

**SYKpop7 **- Aw, thanks so much!:D Ehehe, I have come to the conclusion that nobody is as dense as Ash, it's just impossible. XD

**LAP/Kat**- Why did you give me a choice, I can't decide between LAP and Kat! XD LAPKat? Hehe. This made me loool, the light of awesome? Yayz. You're funny:'D Dawn and Ursula's past will be revealed soon...when I make it up. XD

**Roselia124**- Ahaha, there's no way Gary would lose a game with Ash just to tease Leaf XD Hehehe I was in a very strange mood when I wrote that part of the chapter;D Contest is my MOST favourite too, they're just made for each other!:D

**LoveLoverGrl **- I'LL JOIN YOUR RANT, OMG URSULA GO DIE! LIKE NOW.

...

Hehehe, thanks for the rating! :)~  
><strong><br>aznpandagrl**- Oh, he totally pairs Oldrival. He just doesn't know it yet;) I'm with you there, it is unforgivable. Writing the parts with Ursula and Dawn were really difficult. Hehe! Any kind of Ikari makes me wanna roll around and squeal in the cuteness! :D

**Fprmr1** - Hmmmmm I can't see them lasting much longer. That's allllll I'm gonna say;) It's an awesome scenario, but that's not the reason. Good guess though!:D  
>I noticed you also started replying to reviews on your stories, now we can reply to each other! Ehehehe I'm weird xD<p>

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- Be jealous;D Aw I'm kidding, thanks so much! Oh how I wish I could kill them. However, they're awesome at getting in the way so I need them around-.- After this is done? Hmmmmmm;)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer <strong>- Ran out of witty things to say for this Disclaimer lark. Nothing belongs to me...sadly xD

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><p><strong>~Misty's POV~<strong>

"May? What are you doing?" I asked sleepily, sitting up in my bed. My hair was still curly from last night and I forgot to tame it, so it looked like a big orange bush on the top of my head. So not attractive.

"Misty, I'm so worried! I can't find it anywhere!" May had a look of concern etched onto her face. I looked at her blankly, not knowing what she was talking about. I was too sleepy to think.

"What..?" I yawned, wrapping the duvet covers around me.

"My tiara, duh! I can't find it, Dexter's going to be so disappointed in me..." her voice was panic stricken and loud, she was bound to wake up either Leaf or Dawn, who were still quietly sleeping in their beds.

"May, it'll be around! We'll look later..."

"That's what you said yesterday!" May cut me off, I'd never seen her so worried about something before.

"It'll turn up, I promise." I sighed. I didn't want to make a promise that, potentially, I couldn't keep, but anything was better than May fretting and pacing around the room.

"I guess..." she smiled, putting on one of her red bandanas.

"Wanna get some food after I've changed?" I asked, trying to steer the subject away.

"Sure, I'm starving!" I heard May's stomach rumble loudly and giggled. She may have such a small figure, but man did she eat like a pig.

* * *

><p>"I love food!" May and Ash declared at the same time as each other, their plates piled high. I looked over in Gary's direction and he just shrugged.<p>

"It's obvious you love food, but do you mind saving some for us?"

Ugh, that sickly sweet voice. I hadn't spoken to Melody in a while, and I didn't plan to either.

"There's plenty to go around..." May looked a little hurt.

"Yeah you're right, better get some while it's still here I guess." Brianna smiled and everybody else thought nothing of it. How she could pull off being nasty to May in the sweetest way possible is beyond my knowledge.

"Hi Gary." I heard a voice chirp. I watched as Veronica sat down in the seat next to Gary, flashing him a smile.

"Heya Veronica...I was kinda saving that seat for somebody..." Gary looked uncomfortable, which was quite amusing to say the least.

"Oh I'm sorry, I'll move..."

"No it's okay, she's probably still asleep anyway." Gary smiled and they continued to talk. I gazed around, bored out of my head, and saw May sitting with Brendan. No offence to her or anything but he is so clingy! It's annoying.

"Hi Misty!" Ash chirped happily, sitting down next to me. He had an unusually large bump on the top of his head.

"Uh Ash..? What is that?" I asked, pointing to his head.

"It's my hair, duh!" Ash grinned. Oh my god. I admire his positivity and all but that kid is an idiot!

"No! The bump on your head, stupid!" I yelled, maybe a little too loudly as everybody stopped eating and turned to look at me. My cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Then just as everybody went silent, Ash decided to speak.

"Oh yeah, that! Last night I threw the controller up in the air in my awesome victory and it attacked me." he shrugged, like it was totally normal to do that.

"That's one way of putting it." Gary smirked. I giggled, but my laughter ended abruptly when Melody decided to sit next to me.

"Oh hello Misty, how are you this morning?" she flashed me a sweet smile. I returned the favour with a glare, but she laughed it off.

"Oh hey Melody, I've not spoken to you in a while!" Ash smiled warmingly. Damn him for being so friendly!

"Morning Ash...oh my gosh your head!" Melody's face had a look of shock and sympathy about it.

"It's fine, don't worry about it!" Ash smiled. Great, I'm stuck in the middle of their little conversation...this is just perfect.

"Morning!" Leaf sang as she skipped into the room, her long, straight brunette hair swishing behind her when she walked. Although her smile flickered slightly when she laid eyes on Veronica with Gary, she refused to let it get to her. I could tell she wasn't okay with it though, Leaf is about as easy to read as a picture book.

"Hey Leaf...I-"

"Ash! Heya!" Leaf spoke loudly, cutting Gary off. She sat herself down at Ash's right, stopping the blossoming conversation between Ash and Melody.

I was eternally grateful.

I smirked at an annoyed looking Melody, who just muttered something under her breath.

"Sorry, what was that?" I asked her, my voice light and happy.

Melody rose from her seat, before quickly heading off out of the kitchen.

"Hey Mist, where'd Melody go?" Ash stopped talking to Leaf for a moment, while looking around for her. I smiled and shrugged my shoulders innocently.

"I can't believe she'd walk off on you like that, in the middle of a conversation too! She's so rude!" I shook my head.

"Yeah..." Ash didn't seem fully convinced, which surprised me a little. Neither of us spoke after that and I found myself looking at Leaf for help again. Only she had her eyes fixed firmly on Gary and Veronica, who were laughing about something or another. I had a really, really bad feeling...

"Okay, time to get out of here now!" I hissed in Leaf's ear before she did something she'd regret. Only she didn't listen and continued to stare, her cold looks slowly turning into icy glares.

"May, let's go find Dawn and start song writing, come on!" I turned to May and she thankfully stood up, quickly telling Brendan that she'd see him later. I was about to grab Leaf before she did something irrational, but I was too late. The brunette jumped to her feet like a bolt of lightning and hurled the pain au chocolat she'd been smearing with chocolate spread right in Veronica's face. It somehow exploded when it came into contact, so she ended up being covered in chocolate.

Although this was the kind of thing I'd been trying to prevent Leaf from doing, I had to bite my lip to stop myself from bursting into a fit of giggles. She grabbed my hand and rushed out of the room, dragging me with her. We ran until Leaf ended up collapsing in the middle of the stairs she was laughing so hard. Tears were flowing out of her eyes, I was the same.

"What the hell happened to you two?" I looked up and saw Jimmy, a guy from Jordan's category, and Drew at the top of the stairs. He was looking at us with a raised eyebrow.

"I...Leaf..." I tried to talk but Leaf's laugh was contagious, so I ended up laughing harder.

"Leaf!" May rushed over to us, shouting up the stairs.

"Y...yeah?" she replied.

"Veronica's after you, she wants to kill you! Not literally but still...just get away from her!"

Leaf immediately stopped laughing and hurtled up the stairs, hiding behind Drew. That was when we heard the ear piercing scream I knew was coming.

_"LEAF GREEN YOU BITCH!"_

I ran after Leaf, and she was panicking. She'd obviously realised the impact what she'd done, and she didn't find it funny anymore.

"Misty, oh god, hide me!" Leaf yelped. I looked down the corridor and saw our room, we could easily lock ourselves inside for a while until Veronica calmed down a little.

"Get in the room!" I pushed Leaf inside and I was about to shut the door until May pushed past me.

"Don't even try leaving me out here with her!" May squealed and I slammed the door shut, locking us in.

"Phew..." Leaf sighed.

"Guys?" Dawn looked up, intrigued. She was wearing a red tank top and black jeans which showed off her figure perfectly. I noticed she had been reading some kind of book, but I couldn't make out the title.

"It's a long story." May sighed as we could hear fists pounding on the door.

"I swear to god Green, I'm going to smash your face in!"

Dawn narrowed her eyes at Leaf, "What have you done now?" she asked, talking to Leaf like she was a five year old child.

"I didn't do anything wrong, she had it coming!" Leaf raised her voice so Veronica could hear her. After all, she was still pounding down on our door. Dawn turned to us for an answer.

"She threw her breakfast at her." May shrugged and Dawn's lips curved into a grin. It's nice to see her smile actually, she was really upset about her argument with Ursula last night. She wasn't herself, that's for sure.

"I'm bored." Leaf sighed after a moment and we all turned to glare at her.

"If you're bored, then let's work on our song!" I grinned.

"Can't we just use one of May's again?" she whined. May rolled her eyes but said nothing.

"No, we're writing it together! Wasn't it was your idea in the first place?" I argued, refusing to back down.

"Fine...but I'm in a really bitchy mood right now. We are going to put on a show on Saturday!" Leaf grinned and we all set down to work, blasting music from my iPod dock for inspiration. Maybe it was also to drown out Veronica's screaming. I do wonder how the other contestants put up with us at times.

* * *

><p><strong>«Gary's POV»<strong>

Leaf has really done it this time.

I sped upstairs after Veronica, to find her taking her anger out on the girls bedroom door, screaming and raging. Thank goodness most of the other contestants are out of the house right now, last thing I needed was everybody around me.

"Veronica stop!" I yelled, shutting her up. The music the girls were playing, presumably to drown out Veronica's yelling, had just stopped and the hallway fell silent.

"You're...you're taking her side? She just humiliated me!" Veronica had tears in her eyes and I kinda felt bad...

"I'm not taking anyones side..." I lied, but that just annoyed her.

"You are, you're taking that sluts side! You're a hypocrite Gary!" Veronica glared at me, and something inside me just snapped. All sympathy for Veronica had long since passed.

"I know I'm a hypocrite, but don't you dare talk about my Leaf like that! If anyone's a slut, it's you!" I yelled at her in the heat of the moment and she slapped me across the face. I touched my cheek and it stung like hell.

"Leaf was right about you. And I didn't believe her." I shook my head and turned on my heel, walking away. I just didn't understand, Veronica was so sweet earlier on and now? Ugh. I think there's only one girl in this world that I understand...

**_Later on..._**

"This is awesome!" Drew grinned when he looked at the lyrics for our song. We'd taken a leaf out of the girls book (no pun intended) and began to write our song for Saturday.

Well when I say we, I mean Ash and Drew. Paul was completely frozen in his thoughts, and I had no intentions of thawing him out, so to speak. Meanwhile, I was feeling messed up, my emotions toying with my mind. Suddenly, a question popped into my head and I needed to find the answer.

I needed to find her.

I quietly headed out of the room, the three of them not noticing me leave. I picked up the pace, heading over to Tiger Rose's room. I counted my footsteps to calm my nerves, my heart was thudding. The door was still locked from earlier. I knocked on, but none of them bothered to open it.

"Leaf? It's me." I spoke and I heard the sound of the door being unlocked. She opened the door and I took a deep breath.

"Look...I know you don't wanna talk about it, but just answer this for me. Why did you get so mad at Veronica?" I asked and Leaf thought for a moment, blushing a little. She looked back at Misty, May and Dawn who were crowded around one of the beds, clothes and dresses strewn everywhere.

She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her. There was nobody else here, just Leaf and I. When I looked at her I got that same feeling inside me, the one I felt when Ash pushed her into me last night when we on the Wii, and the one I felt whenever I was near her. I had no idea why I was feeling this way, I never used to. She was just my annoying best friend who happened to be a girl, I've known Leaf Green all my life but I'd never thought of her in that way before. So why now?

"Answer me." I spoke quietly.

"I..I don't know, okay?" she shook her head and tried to leave, but I grabbed her hands, linking them with my own. Leaf had a tendency to run away from her problems but this time I just couldn't let her go.

"Get off me Gary! Why are you being like this..?" she snarled, suddenly trying (and failing) to rip her hands free from my grasp.

"Were you jealous of Veronica with me?" I blurted out and she froze in her place.

"N...no!" she cried, flushing an even deeper shade of red.

"You're lying, I know it! Just tell me the truth!" I was starting to get agitated.

"Gary, stop it! Why don't you just go back to Veronica! She obviously likes you!" she yelled in my face. I had the sudden urge to kiss her right there and then, but I think she'd slap me. She scared me in a way, I've never known anybody like her.

"I don't want Veronica Leaf...I want you." I spoke quietly, swallowing my pride. But she was worth it. When she realised I wasn't kidding around, tears sprung to her eyes. She ripped her hands away from mine with all her strength, her shaky hand grasping onto the door handle.

"I'm sorry...I don't like you like that! Please, just go!" She bolted back into her room, locking the door behind her. I sighed and leant against it, angrily bashing my head against the wood multiple times in frustration. I just confessed to her...and she wouldn't even look at me.

And that was when I lost it completely.

* * *

><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

"I don't know what to wear!" I put my head in my hands as Misty and Dawn began to argue over exactly what I should wear for my date with Brendan tonight. It was nice to see Dawn a little happier, but she was being annoying. My eyes swivelled to the door, which Leaf had just slammed as hard as she possibly could.

"Leaf? What's up..?" Misty stopped arguing with Dawn and pulled Leaf into a hug, those two had become really close as of late. Leaf burst into tears and I instantly knew she wasn't seeking attention like usual, those tears meant something.

"Hey hey...just let it all out." Misty soothed and Leaf continued to cry, her mascara was running down her face and her breathing was irregular. She looked like a complete wreck.

"I...I..." she tried to talk but she was unable, so she just cried harder.

"Leaf, sweetie you gotta calm down. Did Veronica do this?" Misty asked, sounding really worried now. I'd never seen Leaf so worked up like this before...

"N...no..." she took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Then we heard a deafening male roar from right outside our door, and Leaf looked heartbroken.

"Who is that..?" Dawn whispered, and Leaf began to cry again.

Misty let go of Leaf, and Dawn took over conforting her. She carefully opened the door to see Gary yelling at nothing, pounding his fists and his anger on the wall. His eyes were filled with hate and and anger and his knuckles cut and bleeding.

"Gary..?" she whispered and he locked eyes with her. He wasn't himself and I knew it, he looked like a twisted, tortured soul.

"Let me in, I need to see her!" he growled in her face. Misty was open mouthed, Gary looked extremely violent right now.

"N...no! Don't let him in Misty, please!" Leaf screamed and Misty nodded, standing her ground. This only seemed to anger him more.

"Goddammit Misty, move!" he spat and Misty was firm, she refused to let him get to Leaf. He was beginning to scare me now, poor Leaf looked petrified. Misty tried to slam the door on him, but he grabbed hold of her wrists, despite her struggles.

"Gary, get off her!" I yelled, running over to them. All of a sudden, Gary hurled Misty to the side in a sudden uncontrollable rage, and her head painfully crashed against wall.

"What is wrong with you?"

I stood in the doorway, my eyes wide with fright as Ash had just come flying over. He slammed Gary against the wall, yelling his head off. Misty let out a loud painful groan and slumped to the floor, clutching her head. She'd hit it awfully hard. I came running outside and knelt down beside her, Leaf tried to follow me but Dawn kept her back.

Ash took one look at poor Misty in agony and punched Gary so hard he ended up on the floor. I had no idea he was capable of that at all...

"Misty!" Ash cried, leaning down beside her. Misty daintily opened her cobalt blue eyes.

"I'm...fine." she tried to sit up, but I could tell that she wasn't 100%.

"Are you sure? I just...I don't know what the hell happened. I've never punched anyone before." Ash entwined his hand with Misty's and she clutched it tightly.

"My head...it hurts so bad Ash!" Misty looked vulnerable, a side I'd never seen to her before. It was scary.

"You'll be okay Mist, I promise. You just need some ice for your head." he grinned, his smile warming. He helped her up to her feet, although she was a little woozy.

Gary stood up at the same time, his bottom lip was split and he had a sorrowful look upon his face. He looked at Misty and his mouth fell open in shock, I bet he couldn't believe he pushed her like that, I was still finding it hard to believe right now. I noticed that Leaf was standing in the doorway, a horrified look on her face when she saw Misty holding her head. Ash helped her up, and I couldn't help but notice that their hands were still clasped together.

"Ginger...I'm so, so sorry!" Gary rushed up to Misty as he'd finally calmed down and realised he'd just done. But it was just too late for apologies.

"No. You showed a whole new side of you that was just inhuman to me. You were acting like a possessed demon, and you hurt me! You threw me into a frickin' wall!" Misty shivered. She looked truly scared of Gary right now, and I didn't blame her.

"Ash..?" Gary whispered as he watched him go up to Leaf and hug her. Leaf herself was shaken up, I wasn't sure exactly what happened between Leaf and Gary earlier, but I know something went down. Something that made Leaf cry, looking torn and forlorn.

"We'll talk later." Ash sighed. "But it doesn't mean you're forgiven." He let go of Leaf and tried to walk away alone, but Misty followed him, a little dizzy from before. He smiled at her and they headed downstairs, as Ash had no intention of talking with Gary.

Gary looked at Leaf and he looked distant, still shocked. I glanced at Dawn who was standing nearby, and I had no idea what to do for the best.

"How could you?" Leaf whispered after a few silent seconds. She looked shattered, it was heartbreaking!

"I didn't mean for any of that...I was just so angry...please forgive me." Gary tried to walk closer to Leaf, but she quickly backed away from him.

"Are...are you scared of me?" Gary whispered as Leaf nodded.

"Please don't be frightened...it makes me feel like a monster." Gary ignored the blood escaping from his lip and continued to look at Leaf.

"You are a monster." Leaf spat, before locking herself in our bedroom.

My eyes flickered to Gary, and he looked heartbroken. I finally put two and two together in my head and it suddenly clicked. Everything made sense.

"You love her, don't you Gary?" I sighed as he nodded slowly.

"But I blew it. She hates me!" Gary's voice cracked, he angrily wiped tears from his face as he hurried to the bathroom. I watched him go, kind of feeling sorry for him. I didn't like his violence towards Misty just now at all, but I didn't hate him. I can't hate anybody. Even Drew…

"May remember, your date with Brendan." Dawn spoke quietly and I slapped my forehead, how could I have forgotten?

* * *

><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

"Leaf...I need to get ready. Please let me in." May spoke softly to Leaf, who'd shut herself away in their room. When there was no response, May sighed as she saw Brendan appear at the top of the stairs.

"Hey...you ready to go?" Brendan asked her.

"Leaf's locked herself inside, so I can't get ready." May left out the details of Gary's rampage.

"You don't need to get ready, you look fine just the way you are." Brendan gave her a firm smile and she grinned back.

"I'll see you later Dawn." May nodded to the blunette, who waved the twosome goodbye for now.

Dawn watched the two of them leave, and she thought she was alone. She was about to head for the stairs, as Leaf clearly had no intention of coming out just yet, and she felt a cold hand on her bare shoulder before she could reach them. She suddenly felt very self conscious wearing her tiny little tank top.

"Not so fast Troublesome."

Dawn gulped.

* * *

><p>Drew sat alone on his bed, just staring at the object in his hands. He'd had it in his possession for almost two days now, even though it didn't belong to him.<p>

He just didn't have the courage to give it back.

Each time he looked at it, he was constantly reminded of the broken look on May Maple's face when he tried to apologise to her after Saturdays show. That was the one of the hardest things he'd ever done.

Maybe that was why he'd hidden it deep in his closet so the others hadn't found it.

The crystals etched onto this object gleamed like the sun, whatever angle you looked at it from. These tiny jewels were different shades of red and green, my favourite colour. Each tiny individual formed together to create a red rose with a green stalk, miniature crystals sticking out left and right on the stalk, presumably to create little thorns.

Brendan Birch was a thorn.

Drew felt angered that May had happily agreed to go on a date with him, but he knew there was some kind of hope. The way May looked at him before Birch caught her attention said it all, May was entranced, but she wouldn't admit it. She had to forgive him sooner or later, and Drew could already see her barrier against him cracking.

It was only a matter of time.

He turned his attentions back to the item in his hands. An idea appeared in his head and he began to smile. She would have to forgive him!

Drew grinned to himself. When May arrived home with Birch, he was going to be a hero and give her the tiara back that he 'found'

Nothing was going to stop him!

_"Paul...what are you-!"_

Drew's ears sensed a breathless feminine voice from outside, although he couldn't make out everything she was saying. He could have sworn this girl said 'Paul'.

The only Paul in this house is Paul Shinji, our Paul. The emo guy with serious anger problems.

"He can't get a girl before me!" Drew muttered to himself.

He listened out again, for anything but there was no sound. He was then startled by the sound of an adjacent door slamming shut.

The curiosity was overpowering at this point, so Drew left the tiara on his bed and walked out to see what was going on. But what he didn't realise was that he'd left the door wide open, and three pairs of devious eyes were watching his every step.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - Hiya! It's a wonder that I managed to find the time to write this chapter, because of school and...I've kinda become addicted to Harvest Moon lately. The Tale of Two Towns game is just so relaxing, I love it! Anyway back to this. So much happened in this chapter, it's making my head spin XD I was going to put May and Brendan's date in this aswell, but I needed to cut the chappy off before then because it was getting too long.

I didn't want or mean to make Gary the bad guy here, it just happened. Ehehe he turned into Demon Gary XD I swear this story writes itself at times, I get inspired so easily!:')

That's all, please leave a review if you can! I love responding. I'm always checking my emails for the notifications from ff XD

Hope you liked it! Lalalala :)~


	11. Chapter 11: Prince Charming Screwed Up

Chapter 11: Prince Charming Screwed Up

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><p>Reply time!<p>

**LoveLoverGrl** - Aw, thanks for your rating!:D

**aznpandagrl** - Writing the part where Gary argued with Veronica was very fun to write, almost satisfying in a way:') Awwww, Gary is so protective aint he? xD Ehehe, I always have my Taylor albums on shuffle on my ipod when I write chapters, I wouldn't have been surprised if that song was playing during the Oldrival parts:') Omg I got very carried away whilst writing the parts with angry Gary, it was fun though:D I'd originally planned for May to get pushed and Drew to punch him, but I thought I'd get some Poke in here and I changed the roles:') Hehe, I kinda like Mikhail, but I'm currently torn between Ash and Cam, cannot make my mind up atall-.- I might just ditch them both and go for Kana instead:') Thanks for your awesome review by the wayyyy. :)~

**Bradley8155** - Ehehe yeah:D Ikari's kinda in the background at the moment, but I have plans...

**LAPKat** - Ehehe I'm glad you like the name!:D Your reviews are so cute, and funny too:') Oooooh that damn tiara. I didn't expect it to become such an essential part of the story to be honest with you:') Writing Gary's angry part like that was hard, but also fun at the same time? I don't even know. xD

**Roselia124** - Pfffttt, was it that obvious? xD Lolz I'm kidding, I know it was:') The chocolate part put me in a great mood for some reason, I'm weird like that:D Oooooh well you'll have to read on to find out how the date goes!xD Awww Gary! I'm so mean to the characters. :)~

**pokemonSLR** - Thankyou so much, your review put a huge smile on my face:D You're so sweet! Ehehe the last chapter was by far my favourite to write, so much happened in so little time:') Hmmm you could probably guess what they were doing. Ikari's stewing away in the background, but for how long..? So many OMG moments huh:'D

**Missy** - Omg don't worry about it, it doesn't matter. Besides, laughing like an idiot at your comment of 'Gary turned Hulk' more than makes up for it:'D Ehehe I am so competitive at stuff like that with my family, it's pretty funny:') Yeah, maybe she should of done that...but she didn't;) Ehehe, I love Oldrival waaaay too much xD Gary's angry part was totally unexpected, I had no plan of that happening until I wrote it. When inspiration strikes at two in the morning, ugh-.-

**Fprmr1** - Yupyupyup, I got majorly carried away when I wrote it, it was fun though. xD Silly Drew. Omg me too...-.- Ahaha thankyou, I can't wait for your next update! :)~

**Lil'MissEya** - Aw, I love that song. I'll definitely consider it, although I have a ton of songs floating around in my head for this story, it's driving me mad XD Yeah, I kinda thought that too, but every story needs its fillerish parts:) Thanks, I will :)~

**SYKpop7 -** Ahaha they're all annoying and crazy!xD He kinda scared me too when I read the chapter back, which was stupid considering I wrote it-.- Lolz, thankyou:D

**PianoGirl24** - Aw, I mean who doesn't love a bit of Taylor Swift? I adore her:D That was sweet of you, thanks for reviewing, you're awesome!

**xRissychanx** - I know right, very dramatic:') Yupyup, Dawn might just figure out that when you play with fire, you get burnt...;)

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><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - Do I own Pokemon? Oh hell yeah. *sarcastic voice* Lol.

* * *

><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

"Aw man, I am such a klutz!" May giggled as Brendan helped her up. Although she was having a fun time, she couldn't help but think about Leaf back home. May was still amazed that Gary confessed to her and she was still wondering why Leaf rejected him like she did.

"It's okay, I got you May." Brendan grinned, letting go of May's arm. She giggled and sped off on her skates.

"Catch me if you can!" she sang. Brendan grinned, picking up the pace. Soon he was matching her speed and the two were side by side, trying to out-skate each other. As the rink was outside, the winds were harsh and unkind but they didn't care. The moment was simply perfect.

After a short while, May lost her balance again and fell onto the ice. As she rose back up, shivering from the cold, she couldn't help but notice there were no cameras or paparazzi anywhere. Usually, if two contestants were seen together outside of the house it ended up on the front page of the papers but...this time there were no cameras in sight. Maybe it was a good thing.

"You okay?" Brendan noticed May was no longer by his side and he glided back over to see if she was okay. May blushed slightly when he brushed his arm against hers and they skated across the ice together. May was constantly on the lookout for the press, as she didn't want to end up in tomorrows papers. Brendan easily assured her they wouldn't come and spoil their night, he seemed almost sure of it.

"Hold up Brendan, you dropped something!" May stopped on her skates, nearly falling over in the process, and she picked up a small, orange, diary-like book that had just fallen out of the white haired boys pocket. Moments later he snatched it right back off her, even though she was merely going to give it back. His face turned as pale as the hairs on his head.

"What is that?" May pointed to the book that Brendan managed to stuff back into his pocket. She hadn't planned on asking but his reaction made her curious.

"Oh that, it's nothing." He smiled warmingly, gently moving May out of an oncoming skaters way.

"Really..?" May began, frowning slightly until Brendan quickly and cleverly changed the subject. She noticed this, but didn't bother to object.

"So what was up with Leaf earlier, she seemed so upset..." Brendan looked sympathetic and May nodded, telling him the entire story. Although she left out Gary's confession and his violence, as she hated gossiping about others. Even if they were her friends.

"Aw man, gotta hate arguments huh? She'll be fine, don't you worry." he shrugged, smiling slightly, and the two of them skated off around the rink once more.

Only this time, their hands were linked.

* * *

><p>...<p>

"Are you sure this is a good idea Bri?" Melody hissed at Brianna, a really pissed off expression on her face. She continuously flicked her head back and forth to her two bandmates and to the empty hallway outside. Brianna decided put her on lookout, to watch out for any other contestants passing and she wasn't happy, that's for sure.

"Of course! Come on Mel, Drew kissed me! He totally got this as a present for me, and it has such a pretty rose on it. Drew gave me a rose last week!" Brianna's lips curved into a smile as she held the sparkling object in her hands, her eyes twinkling like diamonds.

"That looks a lot like the tiaras Tiger Rose were wearing on Saturday though...I'm just saying." Melody looked a little unsure of the whole thing.

"That it does, but why would Drew have it if it were one of theirs? They all hate him anyway. I'm sure it's for me!" Brianna grinned.

"Hm." Veronica grunted from nearby. She was sitting on one of the boys beds, lost in her thoughts. She was still clearly unhappy about the events of earlier on.

"Aw V, Gary's a total waste of space. He's pretty cute but stil...I'm sure there are other ways you can get back at Loser Rose. Green in particular." Brianna shook her head, annoyed. "I mean, how childish can you get? She was so totally jealous of you..."

"You know, there is a way I can get back at her." Veronica grinned suddenly, flicking a lock of blonde hair out of her face. "Listen, I meant to tell you two earlier but I found out something very interesting today after the argument with that bastard. By accident, naturally-"

"We should go before one of them comes back." Melody cut her sentence off impatiently and the three of them headed out of the room before Drew could return from wherever it was he disappeared to. Brianna placed the tiara on her head, shining in all of it's glory. She was convinced that Drew had got it for her.

"She cannot embarrass me like that and get away with it! I have the perfect revenge planned for that attention seeker...and her little puppy dog." Veronica smiled confidently, taking out her phone and showing Melody and Brianna something. As soon as they clapped eyes on the screen, their jaws dropped and their eyes widened. Scandalous...

_It was the ultimate payback._

* * *

><p>Drew sighed with confusion as his search for Paul and the girl had failed miserably. He was about to head back to his room until he heard slight muffled sounds coming from the bathroom.<p>

"I got you now..." Drew muttered. He cautiously crept across the floor, listening hard. It wasn't until he was a mere few steps away he realised that Paul wasn't in here, it was somebody else.

He quietly opened the door and a figure was sitting hunched up, covering his face, like a child sitting on the naughty step.

"Hey uh...are you okay?" Drew asked.

He slowly looked up, and Drew's eyes widened in surprised.

It was Gary.

"Gary?" Drew whispered in pure shock. Gary was possibly the most fearless person he'd ever met, and now he was a mess.

"Somebody's actually talking to me. I should be surprised after what I've done." Gary let the tears fall freely now, not bothering to hide them. His face was a mixture of hatred and sorrow, Drew didn't know what to do for the best.

"What happened?" Drew asked and Gary gave him a confused look.

"How can you not know?" he shook his head. "Nevermind, I guess I'll h...have to tell you."

After Gary told him everything, Drew ended up sitting beside him on the floor.

"What am I gonna do Drew..?" Gary looked lost and tormented as he turned to his bandmate for help.

"Leaf said she doesn't like you back, but did she mean it? You've known her for so long, surely you can tell..." Drew asked and Gary pondered for a small moment.

"I don't know man...maybe I should have kept my feelings to myself..." he shook his head.

"Well why didn't you? Why ruin your friendship?" Drew asked, and Gary's cheeks flamed as he looked down at the floor. Those were questions he just couldn't bring himself to answer.

Drew began to laugh a little, making Gary sigh.

"I still don't understand why you're talking to me." he smiled sadly.

"Meh. Misty kinda had it coming. Don't tell her I said that." Drew grinned jokingly, making Gary half-smile.

"I need to apologise to her actually...but thanks. You're a real friend Drew." he spoke, nodding his head. "Crying over a girl...what's happened to me?" he wiped the tears away from his face and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

"If you cried over her like that, then she isn't just any girl. Remember that." Drew shrugged and headed out of the bathroom, leaving Gary to think.

* * *

><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

"I've had an great night, you know." I giggled. As it was getting really late, almost all of the other skaters here had left awhile ago, leaving just Brendan and I. We were lying on the freezing ice, staring at the stars above. The sky was cloudless, a perfect night for stargazers.

"Me too." Brendan smiled and pulled me closer, his arm already around me. Although I was lying on ice, he managed to warm me up.

"The stars are so pretty, aren't they?" I sighed happily.

"They sure are. Although they aren't the most beautiful thing I can see right now."

"Really? What is then?" I frowned. What could possibly be prettier than the night sky?

"Let's just say, she's not a million miles away." Brendan looked me right in the eye and I blushed as I realised he was talking about me. I just had a total Ash moment back there.

"You are so sweet, you know that right?" I smiled and he nodded.

"I do now." Brendan nodded and kissed my forehead. My face turned even more scarlet. I wish I didn't blush so much, it's embarrassing!

"You're so cute." I grinned. "I think we should get back, it's late."

Brendan nodded and stood up, wobbling slightly on his skates. He held out his hand and I took it gratefully as he helped me up. A cold breeze rushed past us, and I couldn't help but stare into Brendan's eyes. It was then that I realised. When I looked into his eyes, I didn't see anything. I didn't feel that spark.

Yet when I locked eyes with Drew the other day, I felt my heart positively skip a beat.

_Back at the house..._

"I've had an amazing night May, thanks so much." Brendan flashed me a grin as I hugged him. He gave me a swift peck on the cheek before heading upstairs. As I watched him go, I couldn't help but hear quiet snoring coming from the direction of the sofa. My curiousity piqued and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from squealing like a Justin Bieber fangirl.

Ash and Misty were lying on the sofa clearly fast asleep, Misty's head resting against Ash's shoulder. I tiptoed over there and I could see their hands brushing against each other. I giggled mischievously as I carefully entwined their hands together, they actually looked like a couple. It was adorable!

Quietly laughing, I headed upstairs to go check on Leaf, I'd been worrying about her all night. On the way up, I ran into somebody. Three somebodies infact.

"Just move Brianna, I'm not in the mood for you..." I began until I clapped eyes on the familiar, sparkling object on her head. "...Why do you have that? I've been looking for it for days!" I growled. Brianna had a confused expression on her face for a small moment, until it changed into a sudden smirk.

"Oh this? Drew gave it to me just before. He said I looked enchanting." she grinned casually, putting a lot of emphasis on that last word. I noticed Veronica and Melody give her slightly odd looks, but those looks soon changed into smirks.

"Why would Drew do that?" I whispered.

"Why wouldn't he? After all, he kissed me on Saturday." she gushed. This was getting pathetic.

"No, you kissed him, I saw the whole thing! Now give it back." I glared at Brianna.

"No. Just because he'd never give anything to a skank like you!"

If the tiara wasn't so tangled up in her disgusting hair, I would have easily gone to take it back by now. Tears sprung to my eyes and Brianna just laughed.

"Aw MayMay, you lost your own tiara so you try to take mine?" she spoke in a teasing voice and I instantly thought back to that awful conversation with Drew.

...

_"Why did you do that Drew?"_

_I don't know why I stayed with her..."_

_"No, stupid! The other thing!"_

_"May, I'm..."_

_"Save it Drew!"_

...

I knew I was wearing the crown before I spoke to him...and afterwards it was no longer in my possession. I was so confused yet angered, I just didn't know what to do.

"What's going on?" I hastily turned around to see Drew walking out of the bathroom, slowly closing the door behind him. As he came closer, my lower lip began to tremble.

"May? What's wrong?" a look of concern appeared on Drew's face as he came closer. I backed away, stopping him in his tracks.

"May..?" Drew whispered. There was a war raging inside of me. My head was telling me he really cared, while my heart was convincing me that he was a liar. There was only one way to find out which to believe.

"Have you been hiding this from me?" I asked, pointing to the object atop of Brianna's head. Drew sighed uncomfortably and nodded. He then opened his mouth to speak.

"I have, but why does Bri-" he began, a confused expression on his face. I cut him off in a flash, not caring at all.

"How could you Drew? I didn't think you'd ever stoop that low..." my voice cracked and I knew I was going to cry.

"What are you talking about?" Drew looked perplexed.

"Brianna told me you gave it to her, shows how much you care about me huh. Well then Prince Charming, you have your Cinderella. Why not just disappear into the sunset and have a happily ever after!" I spat and the hurt look on Drew's face was heartbreaking.

That five second walk back to my room was just the worst...

* * *

><p><strong>[-Drew's POV-]<strong>

I watched her turn on her tail and leave and turned my attentions to Brianna, a look of sheer disappointment on my face.

"I left that in my room." I spoke slowly, and Brianna quickly swiped May's tiara off her head.

"I'm sorry, I had no idea...I thought you'd got it for me." Brianna looked upset, but I didn't care.

"Not everything revolves around you!" I snapped suddenly, making her eyes widen in shock.

"I...I didn't mean to make her upset..." Tears filled inside Brianna's eyes, and I considered apologising for shouting at her.

But my heart was telling me otherwise.

"You've just brought constant misery upon me, even if you 'didn't mean it'. I've only been here a week dammit!" I'd had enough. Whenever Brianna was around me, something bad would happen that would repel May from me. I was getting sick of it, I missed her.

Brianna herself was crying by now, but I refused to feel guilty. I snatched away the tiara she held in her shaky hands and made myself leave.

I regretted everything, and I wanted nothing more to do with her.

_Four days later..._

"Gary...we gotta practice some more. The show's tomorrow!" I'd tried so hard all week to get us all to practice together, but they just didn't care.

This week had gone from bad to worse, as none of us had any motivation right now. Our song was written but none of us wanted to practice. Gary spent these past few days moping around, hardly coming out of our room, Ash was always going off with Misty, Paul was constantly disappearing to somewhere or another, and I...well I wanted nothing more than to go home. I missed my mother back in LaRousse so much that it hurt. May was refusing to even look to me and instead spent time with her friends doing their song...and I also knew she spent a lot of time with Birch.

"I don't want to." he mumbled into his pillow.

"Do you want us to make total asses of ourselves tomorrow or what?" I tried my best not to lose my temper but it was getting difficult.

"Whatever." he muttered and I wanted to scream.

"Gary...please." Ash came to my side and pleaded with him.

Gary instantly shot his head up and looked at Ash. Neither of the two had seen eye to eye this week, with all the drama that happened on Monday.

"Look...I hate seeing you like this, it's not right. I guess I forgive you for what happened and I hope you can forgive me too. You're my best friend, I could never hate you." Ash smiled warmingly and Gary's lips curved into the most grateful smile I'd ever seen come from a person.

"I frickin love you Ashy-boy!" he grinned. "Uh...not like that!" he looked flustered as he saw my signature smirk.

"Sure." I grinned sarcastically, flicking my hair, and Gary began to glare at me.

"I don't get it." Ash looked confused and Gary and I groaned in sync. He is such a stupid kid at times.

"Let's go then!" One little boost of confidence and Gary seemed raring to go. He looked perky, but his smile still seemed forced.

"Where's Paul? We can't go without him." I asked as the three of us walked out of the room. I had my guitar strapped to my back.

"Right here." a voice stated from behind us. I turned my head to see our violet haired bandmate standing behind us, his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"So Pauly, where've you been? I've hardly seen you all week!" Gary smiled as we headed for downstairs. I looked at Paul, narrowing my eyes suspiciously. I held my tongue about what I'd overheard earlier this week, but I wasn't going to forget about it.

At the arena...

"It's good to see you boys!" Dexter grinned as we walked inside the huge building. "Come to practice your song?" he asked and we nodded.

"Well I have some important matters to attend to right now, so we'll talk later." he smiled and headed off towards Keira and an annoyed looking Jordan.

We headed out onto the empty stage, not a person in sight. The backing music we'd helped to create began to play, courtesy of Ash. We then began to sing.

**(Viva La Vida - Coldplay)**  
><strong>Paul:<strong>  
><em>I used to rule the world<em>  
><em>Seas would rise when I gave the word<em>  
><em>Now in the morning I sleep alone<em>  
><em>Sweep the streets I used to own<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>I used to roll the dice<em>  
><em>Feel the fear in my enemies eyes<em>  
><em>Listen as the crowd would sing<em>  
><em>'Now the old king is dead, long live the king!'<em>

**Gary:**  
><em>One minute I held the key<em>  
><em>Next the walls were closed on me<em>  
><em>And I discovered that my castles stand<em>  
><em>Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand<em>

**All:**  
><em>I feel Jerusalem bells a ringing<em>  
><em>Roman cavalry choirs are singing<em>  
><em>Be my mirror my sword and shield<em>  
><em>My missionaries in a foreign field<em>  
><em>For some reason I can't explain<em>  
><em>Once you go it was never<em>  
><em>Never an honest word<em>

**Paul:**  
><em>And that was when I ruled the world<em>

There was a small instrumental solo, letting the four of them catch their breath.

**Gary:**  
><em>It was the wicked and wild wind<em>  
><em>Blew down the doors to let me in<em>  
><em>Shattered windows and the sound of drums<em>  
><em>People couldn't believe what I'd become<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>Revolutionaries wait<em>  
><em>For my head on a silver plate<em>  
><em>Just a puppet on a lonely string<em>  
><em>Oh who would ever wanna be king?<em>

**All:**  
><em>I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing<em>  
><em>Roman cavalry choirs are singing<em>  
><em>Be my mirror my sword and shield<em>  
><em>My missionaries in a foreign field<em>  
><em>For some reason I can't explain<em>  
><em>I know Saint Peter won't call my name<em>  
><em>Never an honest word<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>But that was when I ruled the world<em>

**All:**  
><em>I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing<em>  
><em>Roman cavalry choirs are singing<em>  
><em>Be my mirror my sword and shield<em>  
><em>My missionaries in a foreign field<em>  
><em>For some reason I can't explain<em>  
><em>I know St Peter won't call my name<em>  
><em>Never an honest word<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>But that was when I ruled the world<em>

The music came to a slow halt and eventually stopped altogether. We all stood in silence for a moment, not really sure what to do next.

"Well this is fun." Ash impatiently tapped his foot and I let out a smile.

"Let's go talk with Dexter, we said before that we'd speak to him." Paul spoke, crushing the silence and the three of them began to slowly head away.

"Are you not coming Drew?" Gary asked me. I shook my head and unzipped my guitar case, taking out the instrument and holding it with both hands.

"Nah, I'll see you guys later." I nodded, moving a stool which had been pushed to the side out front, so I could sit down with my guitar.

The guys had gone...but I swore I could hear feminine voices around somewhere. I chose to ignore the voices and began to play a song I'd been writing for quite some time now.

**(Wonderwall - Oasis)**  
><em>Today is gonna be the day<em>  
><em>That they're gonna throw it back to you<em>  
><em>Right now you should have somehow<em>  
><em>Realised what you had to do<em>

_And I don't believe that anybody_  
><em>Feels the way I do<em>  
><em>About you now<em>

I continued to strum my guitar, even though it was beginning to hurt my fingers. I didn't care at this point.

_Backbeat_  
><em>The word is on the street<em>  
><em>That the fire in your heart is out<em>

_I'm sure_  
><em>You've heard it all before<em>  
><em>But you've never really had a doubt<em>

_I don't believe that anybody_  
><em>Feels the way I do<em>  
><em>About you now<em>

_'Cause all the roads we had to walk are winding_  
><em>And all the lights that lead us there are blinding<em>  
><em>There are many things that I<em>  
><em>Would like to say to you<em>  
><em>But I don't know how...<em>

_Because maybe_  
><em>You're gonna be the one that saves me<em>  
><em>And after all<em>  
><em>You're my wonderwall<em>

_Today was gonna be the day_  
><em>But they'll never throw it back to you<em>  
><em>By now you should have somehow<em>  
><em>Realised what you're not to do<em>

_I don't believe that anybody_  
><em>Feels the way I do<em>  
><em>About you now<em>

_'Cause all the roads that lead you there are winding_  
><em>And all the lights that light the way are blinding<em>  
><em>There are many things that I<em>  
><em>Would like to say to you<em>  
><em>But I don't know how...<em>

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her. Just standing there and staring at me in awe. I also couldn't help but notice that she was wearing an extremely short skirt...

Stay focused Drew!

_I said maybe_  
><em>You're gonna be the one that saves me<em>  
><em>And after all<em>  
><em>You're my wonderwall<em>

_I said maybe_  
><em>You're gonna be the one that saves me<em>  
><em>And after all...<em>

I turned around and stared right at the bewildered brunette, who was currently trying to hide herself behind the curtain. I smiled and spoke the last three words directly to her.

_You're my wonderwall..._

May dithered for a few slow seconds, her face looked hot and flustered.

"Maybelle, what are you..." Dawn began, but she stopped talking when she saw me.

"Why are you blushing?" Dawn narrowed her eyes suspiciously at May. She was wearing a similar outfit to the brunette; a white shirt, a loose red tie and a short, black pleated skirt. Her blue hair was also tied in a ponytail. They both looked like schoolgirls, and I'm guessing that the theme for their song.

"I'm not!" May declared, although she was indeed flushing like a tomato.

"Whatever, we don't have time for messing around. Where the hell is Misty?" Dawn stomped off moodily, which confused me slightly. Her personality was usually quite bubbly from what I've seen...

"Stop looking at me." May snapped suddenly. I wasn't really sure of what to say, so I just kept my eyes locked onto the stage.

A haunting silence filled the air and I was surprised she hadn't left yet.

"Why don't you go and find Birch?" I quietly muttered. Unfortunately, she heard me.

"Why don't you go find your slutty girlfriend?" May glared back. That was quite ironic, coming from the girl with a skirt halfway up her ass.

"She's not my girlfriend May and you know it. Why won't you hear me out?" I sighed. This ignoring had gone on too long, I hated it.

"Because there's nothing to hear." she folded her arms stubbornly and I couldn't help but smile, May's childlike actions really amused me.

"I miss you." I blurted out and May looked startled. I blushed deeply, I was not expecting that to come out!

"Yeah? Well I don't miss you." May's words felt like I'd been punched in the stomach fifty times over. "Now get off the stage so we can practice our song."

May was so cold and emotionless right now, she was acting like Paul. This wasn't her...

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - Ughhhh, this chapter would not go right at all. And it's pretty short. It's been annoying me:') I know I skipped four days in the story, but it didn't seem rushed did it? Just wondering as all.

I only seem to want to listen to old songs right now, so hence the Oasis song. I don't think it really highlighted the situation between May and Drew that well but I had to put it in anyway, it's amazing:D Ehehe, Wonderwall was the song of my childhood, my dad was always playing it around my house:')

Enough of the life story, did you like the chappy? Press the pretty little button down there titled 'Review' and lemme know! I'll always reply, as you probably know already:'D

:)~


	12. Chapter 12: Flashbacks and Kisses

Chapter 12: Flashbacks and Kisses

Hiya. Eeeeee I'm so excited, my birthdays this Wednesday! :D

Replyin' time.

**Roselia124 **- Contest is too cute. As for the May and Brendan situation...let's just say I have some ideas... [insert evil laugh here] Lolz, I hate Brianna in most stories:')

**Missy**- This review made me giggle in the middle of my Maths lesson, so thanks for that;) Psssh, Brendan is totally too old for May. Awwww I actually wanna hug Gary at times when I'm writing this, I'm so strange:') Yupyupyup, he should demand answers from her, but whether he actually does it...we shall see.

BROMANCE Missy! (Ahaha, I nearly typed Misty xD) Gary and Ash have a pretty strange relationship, I think it's cute though:') As for Drew and May. Things aren't going amazingly well for those two in this chapter, at all XD As for the rest of the story, I have no clue what might happen. :)~

**pokemonSLR**- Yay, you noticed! If there's one thing I love more than writing fics, it's making references to things I like. Sometimes I do it without even realising. So if you see any more Taylor Swift, etc, related words in the story, you'll know why! xD Omg I know exactly what you mean! *high 5* Wonderwall is just an amazing song. :)~

**Lil'MissEya**- Brianna is always getting in the way, she annoys me sometimes-.- Awww, really? I'm so touched! Oh hell yeah, after that sweet review I give you full permission to kill Brianna once the stories over;)

**xRissychanx**- Thanks alot, I try my best!:D I love the song too, I just love Coldplay in general:D I spent some time deciding exactly who was going to sing what part. :)~

**LAPKat**- Ehe thanks, I get a little paranoid about that kind of thing at times, I don't even know why:') You're not alone on that one, I kinda did feel a little sorry for her whilst writing it, but I kinda didn't too. I always think for agessss about my song choices so that's a relief:') Hmmmmm, to be honest I don't know why she was moody. She just was. XD

**SYKpop7**- Ehehe, I didn't ignore it, your Contestshipping ranting made me laugh:'D Thankyou! I love asking for honest opinions on this. :)~

**Fprmr1**- Aw, thankyou so much! The amount of hours I've spent on YouTube trying to find certain songs, seriously:') Left you a nice little review on 11 wishes by the way, it's such a cute story! :)~

**LoveLoverGrl**- Thanks for the rating lovely, aha! So much hate for Brianna, I love it.

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- Trust me, I could never get tired of hearing that:') Hehe the Barbie Dolls! Omg, the part where Drew was mad at Brianna was very satisfying to write, she sooooo had it coming. I'm such a biased writer;)

**Horselover**- Maybe things will work out...or maybe they won't. Ehe, I'm so evil:')

**Fangora The Dragon** - Don't worry, non constructive reviews are the best;) Omggggggg that review had many OMGs in there xD I love Coldplay. That song you suggested was Silvers theme, wasn't it?

**Lov3dXOXO** - Thanks for reviewing some of the other chapters too! Trust me, the more reviews I get, it just totally motivates me to write and update as much as I can:D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>- I DONT OWN POKEMON. Stupid disclaimer. xD

* * *

><p><strong>~Misty's POV~<strong>

_I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing  
>Roman cavalry choirs are singing<br>Be my mirror my sword and shield  
>My missionaries in a foreign field<br>For some reason I can't explain  
>I know St Peter won't call my name<br>Never an honest word_

_But that was when I ruled the world_

...

"That was amazing." Dawn broke the silence and glanced around at us all. May diverted her eyes from the screen whenever the cameras went anywhere near Drew and Leaf wasn't even watching, instead she had her headphones in with music playing full blast. I shrugged at Dawn, who just rolled her eyes and looked back at the tv.

"You're all so cute, I love it! Okay, enough fangirling. I think you boys have done a fantastic job! Although I haven't see you practice much this week, you definitely came through tonight! I hope people pick up the phone and vote for you, you all deserve it!" Keria gushed, her eyes shining.

The cameras switched to Jordan, who was sitting on the other side of Dexter. He was usually quite grumpy, but now he was smiling. As well as praise on the magnificent songwriting, he also gave the guys some criticism on their vocals. I noticed Ash was getting distracted, I found myself smiling like an idiot at his cuteness.

"Why are you smiling Misty?" the smile left immediately, and I looked up to see May grinning at me.

"Oh...no reason." I said casually.

"It doesn't have anything to do with...I don't know, a certain raven haired member of Midnight Run would it?" she giggled and I sighed.

"Nope." I lied through my teeth.

"You know...I saw you and Ash cuddling together downstairs the other day. Try to get out of that one." May smirked, her smile eerily like Drew's. I didn't dare tell her though, Drew had been a touchy subject for May lately. My cheeks turned a light shade of pink.

"Well, we were watching tv after the...Gary incident, and we must have fallen asleep. It was late after all..." I shrugged innocently. May refused to give up though.

"So you weren't holding hands when you woke up?" she asked. My cheeks turned from a light pink to a dark red, and she grinned triumphantly.

"Shut up." I turned around and Midnight Run had already left, the next act on the stage.

"Leaf." I looked at the brunette, who clearly couldn't hear me. I rolled my eyes and yanked the headphones out of her ears. Sometimes you've just got to be firm.

"Hey! I was listening to that!" Leaf glared at me as I took the iPod out of her hands and threw it on the couch.

"No, you listen to me. Are you okay with performing tonight?" I asked. Leaf hadn't been herself all week after what happened, although I think I was missing something. I was still unsure why Gary was angered in the first place actually...

"Yeah sure whatever." Leaf shrugged and I nearly screamed. She's not taking this seriously at all.

"Why are you and Gary not talking?" I forced myself to say it, and Leaf looked me right in the eye.

"Because he hurt you Mist." she stated.

"Leaf, I think the only one hurting here is you." I sat down beside her and she froze.

"What happened? Come on, you can tell me." That damn motherly voice of mine is popping up too often...

Leaf glanced around at May and Dawn, who were engrossed in the tv. Solidad's performance was simply flawless, but I had to hear Leaf out.

"Gary...confessed. He told me he loved me." Leaf whispered, her eyes brimming with tears. I was about to ask her how she responded, but then the answer dawned on me.

"You rejected him, didn't you." I sighed, not really sure what to say at this point.

"Oh Misty, I just didn't know what to do! If I'd known he was going to respond like that then maybe I..." Leaf didn't bother stopping for air, so I hushed her babble by asking just one question.

"Do you like him back?"

"C...can we talk about this later? I really don't wanna ruin my makeup..." Leaf said shakily.

"Sure." I nodded. "Just concentrate on the performance right now, yeah?"

"Of course." she forced a smile, putting her headphones back in and losing herself within the music. I left her alone and paced nervously around the room. The nerves were beginning to kick in and I hated it, that feeling of dread knotting in my stomach.

I opened the door for some air the same time the boys were heading past.

"Hey Misty!" Ash grinned, running over to see me. As we started to talk, I could see the other three lurking in the background, reluctant as hell to come over, but they came in after Ash literally dragged them over.

If it weren't for his constant talking, then there would have been a stony silence between the eight of us. Tensions had risen to boiling point, it was horrible.

I saw Gary looking directly at Leaf, who was clearly pretending she didn't know he was here by closing her eyes, her music in her ears. She was still lying on the couch.

May was watching the tv, smiling and sighing happily at Brendan, who was just beginning to sing. This was definitely touching a nerve of Drew's however, the scowl on his face and his clenched fists told the entire story.

I noticed a hint of awkwardness between Dawn and Paul too, as Dawn had her head down, her cheeks flaming red. Paul had the same bored facial expression as usual, but he seemed troubled.

"Are you guys okay..?" It had taken him a couple of minutes or so, but Ash had finally picked up on the aura of depression and jealousy in this room.

"Oh Ash, I'm perfect..." May sighed dreamily, still looking at Brendan singing his heart out on the screen. He was good. I noticed her sneak a few sly glances at Drew before turning her attentions back to Brendan's performance.

Drew muttered something to himself and grabbed the remote from the table.

"Hey! I was watching that!" she snapped as Drew switched the screen off altogether.

"Not anymore you're not!" he snarled. He then threw the remote to the other side of the room. May was seething.

"Just, ugh! I hate you Drew!" May screamed as Drew stormed out, slamming the door as he went. Okay, something has definitely happened between them...

"Do you want me to find the remote for you May?" Dawn asked.

"I don't care." she sighed heavily as Dawn stood up. She looked nervous, which was understandable as we were on later. She tripped up over thin air and had to grab on to the closest thing to keep her upright. In this case, it was Paul's arm.

"Get off me Troublesome..." Paul simply sighed, which immediately struck me as odd. His tone of voice was tired and fed up, nothing like the usual rudeness that made him, well...Paul.

"S...sorry." she stuttered, quickly rushing past Paul. I frowned in confusion, what was wrong with Dawn?

She grabbed the remote and turned the tv on, only to find Brendan was gone, replaced with Ursula walking out onto the stage, the girl looked like a princess.

I hushed Ash for a minute and looked over at Dawn, who looked like she was about to cry.

She muttered something under her breath and hurled the remote she'd picked up at the nearest thing to her, which happened to be Gary's head.

"Ow! What the hell Princess..." he began, but Dawn had already left. Paul stormed out moments later.

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<br>**  
>I need to get out of this stupid place! I hate it!<p>

I picked up the pace and stormed past a few people, not caring about the odd looks they were giving me. I needed to be alone.

I was about to push open the door for some air, but I was stopped by a firm hand on my shoulder. I flinched.

"You can't go out there like that, it's cold."

I turned around and looked into the eyes of the violet haired boy, he did look really cute in that suit...

Man, I have got to be the worst girlfriend ever.

"You can't tell me what to do!" I glared at him.

"Fine. You go out in the cold looking like a slutty schoolgirl, see what I care." Paul began to walk away.

"Wait." I sighed and he turned his head, a smirk on his face.

"Paul. I can't sneak around with you like this anymore, the guilt is killing me..." I whispered, shying away into a nearby room as he came closer to me.

"That boyfriend of yours is never going to find out." he closed the door and as his hand slyly touched my own, I felt my face heat up.

"But what if he does Paul..? What if the press find out about this! About us!" I shuddered at the thought of that.

"You're over-thinking things. Besides, you were the one who began this whole...I don't even know what it is."

"Yeah...but I have my reasons."

Paul frowned at me for a moment, and he then spoke up.

"What do you mean by reasons?"

I mentally kicked myself for getting myself into this situation. Why did I have to open my big mouth...

"I...Uh..." I stuttered and Paul kept his eyes firmly locked on me.

"I want an answer. Why did you kiss me that day?"

"Because...I like you."

I was lying, but I was also speaking the truth at the same time. I'd really begun to fall for him... The only problem was, I also loved Lucas. I just couldn't let him go. One question lingered on my mind, the real reason why I kissed Paul that day.

Why couldn't I tell Paul about Ursula's blackmailing..?

One word, humiliation.

Even if he liked me back, he'd never speak to me again for playing him like this...and I don't think I could handle that.

"You...what?" he frowned, shock on his face.

"I like you..." I said shakily and a small smile appeared on his face. It quickly disappeared.

"I...Troublesome, I think you should go." he motioned to the tv. "You're on now."

I slapped a hand to my head, of course!

"Shit!" I yelped, throwing open the door and running to the stage.

As I ran, I knew I had to make a decision.

After all, I couldn't keep the lines blurry between Paul and Lucas forever.

I'd have to choose.

...

"Dawn! Where the hell did you go?" Misty literally screamed as I ran over. Wow, somebody's tetchy today.

"Sorry..." I smiled sheepishly and Leaf had a determined smile on her face, which managed to slightly cheer me up. She'd been so down all week, I'd missed that smile.

"Let's go girls." May took mine and Misty's hand and we walked out onto the magnificent stage once again. Our set was pretty much matched with our outfits, it was a classroom. (The whole school theme was Leaf's idea...)

There were four desks at the front, and we all took our places in the seats, before the music began to play.

**(One of Those Girls - Avril Lavigne)  
>Misty:<strong>  
><em>I know your kind of girl<br>You only care about one thing  
>Who you've seen<br>Or where you've been  
>Who's got money<em>

When Misty began singing she stood up and walked around the desk until she was in front of it. She then drummed her fingers on the desk.

**Dawn:  
><strong>_I've seen that look  
>In your eyes<br>It tells a million lies  
>But deep inside, I know why<br>You're talking to him  
><em>  
>As I did the same actions as Misty, I couldnt help but think. My part really summed myself up there from Ursula's point of view...ironic much?<p>

**Misty:  
><strong>_I know what you're all about  
>I really hope he figures it out<br>_  
><strong>All:<strong>  
><em>She's one of those girls<br>Nothing but trouble  
>Just one look<br>And now you're seeing double  
><em>  
><em>Before you know it she'll be gone<br>Off to the next one_

_She's so good_  
><em>That you won't see it coming<em>  
><em>She'll take you for a ride<em>  
><em>And you'll be left with nothing<em>

_You'll be broke and she'll be gone_  
><em>Off to the next one<em>

_Oh_  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Off to the next one<em>

_Oh_  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Yeah yeah, ohhh<em>

**Leaf:  
><strong>_She's gonna be  
>The end of you<br>At least that's what they say  
>It's been a while<br>You're in denial  
>And now it's too late<em>

_The way she looks_  
><em>It makes ya' high<em>  
><em>All the warning signs<em>  
><em>'Cause her blonde hair<em>  
><em>Her blue eyes<em>  
><em>It makes you wanna die-ah!<em>

Leaf rose from her seat very violently when she began her solo part, and I knew she was singing those words straight from the heart. After all, she did write her part. She joined Misty and I, standing at the front of her desk.

**May:**  
><em>I know what she's all about<br>I really hope you figure it out  
><em>  
>May was the last one to stand up and we all sat on the tables of our desks, swinging our legs to the beat of the chorus.<p>

**All:  
><strong>_She's one of those girls  
>Nothing but trouble<br>Just one look  
>And now you're seeing double<em>

_Before you know it she'll be gone_  
><em>Off to the next one<em>

_She's so good_  
><em>That you won't see it coming<em>  
><em>She'll take you for a ride<em>  
><em>And you'll be left with nothing<em>

_You'll be broke and she'll be gone_  
><em>Off to the next one<em>

**Misty and Dawn:  
><strong>_You know it's a game  
>You know it's a game<br>She keeps playing around with your head  
>Playing around with your head<br>_  
><strong>May and Leaf:<strong>  
><em>She's so insane<br>So insane  
>She's the one to blame<br>She's the one to blame_

**May:**  
><em>She's one of those girls<br>Nothing but trouble  
>Just one look<br>And now you're seeing double  
>Before you know it she'll be gone<br>Off to the next one_

**All:**  
><em>She's so good<br>That you won't see it coming  
>She'll take you for a ride<br>And you'll be left with nothing_

_You'll be broke and she'll be gone_  
><em>Of to the next one<em>

_Oh_  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Off to the next one<em>

_Oh_  
><em>Oh<em>  
><em>Oh Oh<em>

_Yeah yeah_

**Leaf:**  
><em>Off to the next one!<em>

Our song ended, and the crowds erupted into a huge applause. Even with the events of earlier lingering on my mind, I couldn't help but smile. The moment was perfection in every way.

...

"Ash! Hey! Were we good out there?" Misty grinned as she came skipping out from the stage, straight into the bewildered boys arms.

"You were amazing Mist! You all were." Ash smiled. The other three hung back, Drew and May were openly glaring at each other now. I wish I knew why.

Leaf gave Gary a quick glance before heading off completely. Gary sighed, the guy looked so down...

Paul began to slowly walk away, motioning at me to follow him. I felt a shiver up my spine as I crept away, intrigued to know exactly what he wanted to tell me.

At that moment, I watched Gary almost fly past me, a look of courage and determination on his face.

* * *

><p><strong>^Leaf's POV^<br>**  
>Knock knock.<p>

"What?" I muttered and Gary opened the door, shutting it behind him.

"Please leave." I found myself saying almost instantly.

"No, I won't leave you." he shook his head and took a seat next to me on the couch.

"Please! I don't wanna talk..." I protested but he wouldn't go.

"Not until you listen to me."

"I'm listening." I sighed, looking around the room to try and distract myself. I ended up looking right back at Gary and getting lost in his gleaming eyes...

"I hate this Leaf...I miss you so much that it hurts. I'd give anything to have things back the way they were." Gary ran a hand through his hair and I felt a small tingle inside.

"You can say that, but things could never go back to how they were. They never will." I sighed.

"That doesn't mean I can't miss the old times." he muttered.

"The past is the past Gary, it's over. I have to put all my faith into right now, the girls need me."

"But I need you!" Gary protested as I stood. I looked back at him and my heart started to beat faster.

"I just don't understand why you had to fall for me...you could have any girl you want! You certainly proved that back in high school."

"Don't you dare bring up my past! Just because I was a...bit of player back in school, doesn't mean I'm like that now. Believe it or not, I have grown up a little since then!"

"I know, I'm not stupid!"

"Why are you so scared?" he asked, blunt to the core.

"I'm not scared of anything." I glared back.

"Oh really? Tell me Leaf, are you scared of this?" Gary asked, leaning over and pressing his lips to my own. Although I felt butterflies, I refused to kiss him back.

I blushed furiously and moved away. "Gary!" I snarled.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to do that again." he whispered. As soon as he said it, the memory came rushing back to me.

.

.

.

_"Bet you can't catch me Gary!" I stuck my tongue out and messed up his spiked hair._

_"Leaf! Aw man! I'm gonna get you for that!" A six year old Gary Oak scowled, running after me and yelling._

_"I'd like to see you try!" I taunted. After a few moments, we'd both grown tired and collapsed on the freshly cut grass. A bumble bee buzzed lazily in the flowers around us, a beautiful summers day._

_"You're...fast...for a girl..." He was out of breath, leaning against our tree._

_"Wanna...climb the tree with me?" I asked and Gary looked a little worried._

_"It's so tall though..." he whined and I laughed._

_"Scaredy-cat!" I giggled._

_"No I'm not! Fine, let's climb the tree!"_

_"Yay!" I clapped my hands and began to make my way up, Gary lagging behind a little. We stopped at a sturdy branch, sitting there for what felt like eternity just talking with one another. We were just two inquisitive children who wanted nothing more than to grow up and be adults._

_"Do you wanna get married when you're bigger Leaf?" Gary asked._

_"I don't know...I already asked Tommy to marry me at school but he said no, then he went and married Casey the next day!" I sighed, slightly pouting._

_"Tommy's mean and Casey's ugly! Why don't you marry me instead?" Gary asked, his face was hopeful and childlike._

_"No silly!" I laughed at him. "You're my friend!"_

_"Friends can't get married?" his little face fell._

_"No! Cause at the wedding you have to kiss! That's what my Mommy did when she married Daddy!" I laughed and Gary sat nearer to me, taking a leaf out of my hair._

_"Kiss? You mean like this?" Gary pecked me on the lips and, being the six year old that I was, I was stunned._

_"Eww! Gary!" I squealed and Gary looked slightly hurt, jumping down from the branch and running home as fast as he could._

.

.

.

I'd never truly understood why Gary had left me that day, given that I was only a child.

But now I understood perfectly.

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

"Paul?" I called out softly, but it was almost as if the boy had vanished off the face of the earth.

I called his name again. No answer.

"Where the hell is he..." I sighed. My eyesight was instantly drawn to a slip of paper on the front of our dressing room door.

...

**_If you love two people at the same time, _**

**_choose the second one because if you really loved the first one, _**

**_you wouldn't have fallen for the second._**

...**_  
><em>**

I took the piece of paper from the door and read the spiky handwriting over and over. Was this aimed at me..?

"Troublesome."

I let out a small scream, dropping the note. I watched it flutter to the ground like a fragile butterfly.

"Did you write this?" I asked and he nodded, not saying a word.

"Everything is just so messed up." I ran a hand through my hair and Paul gently squeezed my hand.

"Thanks..." I sighed, the guilty feeling appearing inside once more. I couldn't take much more of this.

"You never even asked me." Paul stated and I looked at him, a little confused.

"Asked you what?"

Paul sighed, but then he smiled. "You told me you liked me, but you never asked if I felt the same way."

He was right, I never did ask.

"Well, do you like me?"

"Does this answer your question?" Paul asked and he kissed me gently. I felt my legs turn to jelly and my stomach doing somersaults as I kissed him back. This was utter perfection.

As he deepened the kiss I knew I had to break it, as I realised anybody could walk in on us at any moment. I looked down at the note I'd dropped before, picking it back up.

"We've gotta be careful Paul, you know that. Anyone could see us!" I warned him. Paul simply shrugged and headed away.

"Hey, where are you going?" I called out after him.

"Leaving now before I do something I shouldn't." Paul replied back and I couldn't help but wonder exactly what that 'something' was.

However, my thoughts were cut short when I heard a dry voice from behind me.

"So it was you all along Dawn."

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>- :O Oooooohhhhh! That's all I can say:')

The girls song was revealed! Ehe, I adore Avril so much and I love the song, it seemed to fit. Somebody actually suggested this in the reviews a while back, but I can't remember who…

**My question to you:** Who do you think found out about Dawn and Paul right at the end there? I'll give you a pretty little shoutout on the next chap if you get it:D

OH MY GOD I nearly forgot, I reached over 100 reviews! :D I can't tell you all how grateful I am, seriously. Your reviews always cheer me up when I'm bored in English, etc, and I get really excited whenever an email from ff comes through on my blackberry:'D

Thanks to **Fangora The Dragon** for being the 100th reviewer!

Also, if you have the time, please check out my newest story, Codename Kitty! It's an Oldrivalshipping and Contestshipping fic and I'd love to hear your opinions on it.

Pretty short chap, I know but I wanted to stop there. Please Review! :)~


	13. Chapter 13: Seeing Stars

Chapter 13: Seeing Stars

Replies!

Thought I'd update this, seeing as though chapter two of Codename Kitty is taking me longer than I thought ._. Bleh.

**Bradley8155**- Aw really? I'm glad you liked it! More ikari to come :)~

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- Oh wow thankyou!:D Hehe, I totally awwwwed while writing that scene, I love oldrival too much:') Yeah, I agree with you. LOLOLOLOL you guessed nine people! XD One of which is right.

**Lov3dXOXO**- Hehe thanks, I try my best!

**Saikono-san **- Ehe don't you worry, I guarantee a huge Contestshipping boom is going to happen soon, already planned most of it out. Ohmigosh their version of Enchanted is amazing, and you've given me an idea... *sly grin* Aww, thank you so much:-)

**LAPKat **- Why thankyou! Oooooh but who said it was a GIRL? That's alllllllll I'm saying;)

**Roselia124 **- Hmmmm, good question. Even I don't know what's going on in May's head right now boy-wise, I'll decide later xD And as for Brendan...well let's just say I'm working on that ;)

**Lil'MissEya**- Well if that chapter was awesome, then your review was awesomer. (Is that even a word?) Oh you're welcome!

**KuronoAngel **- Aww, I know right? Some girls can be so cruel:( Ehe, Electric Heart will get whats coming to em. Really? Ain't you sweet!:D Thankyou X

**EvidenceOfSouls**- Ohhhhhh so that was you! You're very welcome, I love Avril:D

**LoveLoverGrl**- 9.6? ASDFGHJKL that's an awesome score. Thanks! :)~

**AnimexLuver4Ever **- You think this is amazing? Thanks!:D Don't worry about that, I'm just glad you've reviewed! It's kinda annoying when people favourite/follow your story and don't review, you know? :)~

**SYKpop7**- Awwww thanks!:D Hmmmmmm well Brianna's already taken, but you can have the other three! OMG another Paul? Dunno why but I couldn't stop laughing at that. I'm weird XD

**PokemonSLR**- Aha I loved writing that flashback in the Leaf and Gary part, so cute. Thanks! I knew that part in the song was made for Leaf, she had to have it:')

**Happyc **- Awwww! (x100) A newberry award? Pffft I wish xD Great songs you picked out by the way, it's not usually the kind of music I listen to but they were really good! Hehehe I hope this chappy feeds your addiction!

**11Mayghane11**- OMG REALLY? I'm jealous:O That is sooooo cute, I wish I had somebody who'd do that for me:') Awwww! Thankyou, I'm glad you're enjoying this:-)

**aznpandagrl - **Ehe, I was wondering where you'd got to xD Awwww I know, poor Gary. I am a little mean with him at times. Dawn will choose sooooooooon, just be patient ;)

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>- I don't this own this shiz, okay?:D

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<br>**  
>"How...how much did you see..?" I muttered, my heart beating wildly. Paul was long gone at this point.<p>

"Enough." his facial expression remained neutral and I didn't know what was going to happen.

"You're not going to tell anyone, right? You wouldn't do that..." I spoke timidly.

"I don't know Dawn." he smirked. "What's in it for me?"

"Uh, what? Paul's your friend, jerk-off!" I snarled. He smirked, then he began to laugh. I frowned at him.

"Your face Dawn! Chill Berlitz, I'm just messing with you. I'd never stoop that low." he grinned and I felt a huge sense of relief.

I guess not everyone is Ursula.

"Besides, whatever it is you and Paulie are getting up to behind closed doors is none of my business. Although I might just ask him about it." he smirked mockingly as I felt my face heat up.

"Drew Hayden!" I screamed and punched his arm. Then I realised, something the chartreuse haired boy had said to me just didn't add up.

"Hey...what did you mean by 'It was me all along'?" I asked and Drew fell quiet for a moment.

"Uh..."

"Spit it out." I tapped my foot impatiently.

"I..overheard...you with Paul the other day, but I didn't know it was you at the time!" Drew admitted.

"Oh..." I blushed slightly as the thoughts from Monday came drifting back to me. Then came the guilt. "Drew...can I talk to you about something?"

"Aren't we talking already?" he smiled jokingly and I laughed.

"I guess so. Listen...have you ever been caught in the middle of two people, and you didn't know which was the right one to choose?"

"Who's the other guy?" Drew asked.

"I'm stuck between Paul and my boyfriend...now answer the damn question!" I sighed and Drew looked quite sympathetic.

I guess there's a first for everything.

"Yes, kinda. It wasn't too long ago actually." he sighed. "Remember when I ditched you guys for Brianna?" he asked and I nodded. "Gary gave me a choice while you girls were on stage, it was either her or the group. Look how well that turned out." he laughed and I smiled half heartedly.

"The point is Dawn, just go with your gut. Listen to yourself. I kept telling myself to leave Brianna and go with you guys and I didn't. Even though all is forgiven, I still regret it now." Drew blinked a few times, continuing to talk.

"That stupid relationship with her has cost me so much..." he muttered almost inaudibly. I decided to put my problems on hold for a moment, and I asked Drew to expand on that one sentence. He blushed slightly.

"You're blushing? Aw, how cute!" I couldn't resist teasing him a little there. "But seriously, what's wrong? Is this situation related to Maybelle Maple by any chance? She's been pretty miserable lately when she's not been with Brendan..."

After I didn't get a reply, I smiled triumphantly.

"I knew it!"

"Shut up! It's got nothing to do with May!"

"Of course Drew." I pet him on the head like a dog and he glared at me.

"So what are you gonna do?" he asked as we walked back.

"I really don't know..." I sighed.

"I know this sounds really cliche but I don't care. Just go with your heart Berlitz. If you carry on cheating, then things are only going to get worse." he nodded, and our conversation came to an abrupt end as Gary and Paul came over.

"Thanks for talking to me Drew. Just don't tell anybody about this, got it?" I hugged the green haired boy and whispered in his ear.

"I promise." he muttered back.

"Sorry to interrupt the little lovefest here guys, but we're leaving." Gary smirked. He seemed a lot perkier than usual.

"We're friends, idiot!" Drew protested.

"I know I know...it's still fun to tease you though Draw!"

"I thought you'd stopped that stupid name..." he sighed and I laughed.

Gary ignored him and began skipping down the hallway.

Yeah, skipping.

"What's with him?" I asked and Paul looked at me.

"I think something's happened. He's so happy, ugh." Paul looked at me and I felt myself getting all tingly inside. No! Leave me alone tingles!

"No kidding." Drew smirked.

"Hey, where's Ash?" I asked him.

"Oh he's with your friends, the little pimp." he replied with a grin.

"Ew, Drew!" I screwed up my face in disgust.

"I'm kidding, sheesh!" Drew smiled "Although I'm guessing he's only with them for a certain orange haired girl. She scares me."

I laughed at the last comment. "Misty is not scary! But they are so cute when they're together." I agreed.

"Seriously man, what is wrong with you?" Drew yelled as he watched Gary in dancing wildly front of him.

"Oh I'm good!" he grinned.

We got to the car and Drew began to converse with Paul. I turned to Gary with a glint in my eye.

"So what happened? Somebody's clearly very happy right now." I grinned.

"Not telling, Princess." he folded his arms and I giggled.

"Come on! Why are you so happy?" I asked and he looked at me coyly.

"Please tell me! Please! Please!" I repeated over and over.

I noticed that Paul had his eyes planted shamelessly on me, even as he was talking to Drew. I wondered why, until I realised my stupid, stupid skirt had risen even higher as I sat down. Paul smirked as I flushed crimson, carefully pulling my skirt back down.

"Right! Fine..." he leant over and whispered in my ear. "I kissed Leaf, okay? Don't tell anyone!"

"Really? Aww! That is so cute!" I squealed and Gary groaned, trying to shush me as Drew eyed me suspiciously.

"Did she kiss you back?" I whispered in his ear and he laughed.

"Like hell she did. I got a slap instead." he grinned, almost as if he was proud of it.

"Still cute! I have got to find a way to change her mind." I smiled, taking out my phone to find I had a text from Misty.

_  
><em>_**Where are you?x -M**_

_****_  
>I decided to reply.<p>

_**I'm with the boys, on my way back:)x -D**_

_****_  
><em><strong>Oh:) Have you heard about the 'twist' for next week? We just got toldx -M<strong>_

_****_  
>Well that confused me.<p>

_**  
>What twist?x -D<strong>_

_****_  
><em><strong>I'll tell you when you're back:)x -M<strong>_

_****_  
>I smiled and put my phone away, pondering on what it could be that she wanted to tell me.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>*May's POV*<br>**  
>"Oh shut up Brendan." I blushed, giggling as he whispered something into my ear.<p>

"I'm serious May, you looked gorgeous out there." he smiled.

"You were pretty amazing too...except Drew turned the tv off on your performance so I didn't see the ending." I sighed, muttering that last part.

"You were with Drew Hayden?" he frowned.

"Yeah...well it wasn't just me, it was all of us." I smiled brightly, but it quickly faded as Brendan didn't smile back.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Just annoyed that you're hanging out with that bastard. You're better than he is May." Brendan turned away.

"I wasn't hanging out with him, he was just there!" I protested.

"Yeah, sure." he murmured, walking off. What a diva!

"Brendan..?" I called out.

No reply. Great.

I rolled my eyes, walking back into the living room to see that Dawn and the other three boys were finally back.

"Heya May!" Dawn grinned. I wanted to sit down but the only remaining seat was next to Drew on the loveseat. I sighed heavily and sat down next to him, perching right on the extreme edge of the seat. Drew didn't even look at me.

"So...what was that thing you were telling me about Misty?" Dawn asked.

"What...oh yeah! Before we left, the presenter announced that next week there's going to be a double elimination!"

"Wow. That's it?" Paul spoke in a sarcastic tone, earning a glare from Misty.

"That's not all, we're going to have to perform a song with another act from the competition."

"What?" Dawn, Ash, Gary and Paul spoke simultaneously as I nodded.

"It's gonna be announced properly tomorrow, I wonder who we're...oh my god!" I spoke, trailing off at the end. This would usually be the point where Drew would tease me, but he remained silent and tight lipped.

I was beginning to regret my actions from yesterday...

"What?" Leaf asked.

"What if we're paired with Electric Heart? Or Ursula?" I said, feeling a sense of dread inside of me.

"Oh shit." Dawn bit her lip. "No, that is not going to happen May." she tried to reassure me, but Dawn didn't sound sure herself.

"Even if it does, it's not the end of the world!" Ash laughed and Misty whacked him across the head.

"Yes it is the end of the world!" she yelled. "Those girls are horrible, you don't even know the half of it!"

"Oh I do, I got a slap from Veronica." Gary muttered.

"I do too." Drew spoke, quickly glancing at me. It was the first time we'd properly made eye contact in a while. I'm guessing he was talking about Brianna.

Wait a second, that bitch still has my tiara!

I got to my feet and began to walk out of the room.

"May..?" Drew called out after me, but I ignored him.

"Hey Marina, have you seen Brianna?" I stopped in the hallway to ask the sky blue haired female, who happened to be talking to Jimmy.

"Yeah...I saw her not too long ago actually, she's probably upstairs." she smiled.

"Thanks!" I grinned and she went back to talking with the male. He kinda reminds me of Ash in a strange way. I don't even know.

I crept upstairs, not a soul in sight as everyone else was either downstairs or out, the kitchen proving to be a popular place right now. I heard a few hushed whispers coming from...Brendan's room? Hm. I shuffled towards the door and listened hard.

_"...please...for us?"_

_"...can't take...risks."_

_"...we'll...your secret."_

_"...me...do this...her."_

I couldn't make out much of the conversation at all, but I knew Brianna was in there. I easily recognised her voice, I'd heard it enough times.

"What are you doing?"

I turned around, my heart racing, to see Melody looming over me.

"Nothing!" I answered immediately.

"Don't play dumb with me, stupid girl!" Melody spat and I instantly backed up against the door.

Unfortunately though, due to impeccable timing the door was opened, courtesy of the lovely Veronica. I ended up falling on my back.

"What is she doing here..?" Veronica shrieked and I sat up, looking at Brendan. Why was he with those two?

"She was eavesdropping on you guys. The little sneak." Melody grinned triumphantly.

"I wasn't!" I lied, but Brianna just laughed, sauntering over to me. I looked over at Brendan, who looked like he wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it.

"Why are you two here? In Brendan's room?" I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"Can a girl not have a conversation with somebody without being analysed about it?" she sneered.

"It wasn't a conversation, you were whispering!" I accused her.

"So you were listening in." Melody chirped and I didn't know how to respond to that.

"May? What's going on?"

I turned around to see Leaf halfway up the stairs, looking at me with worried eyes. Drew, I noticed, was right behind her. I looked away.

"I'm fine." I sighed.

"Leaf, how lovely of you to make an appearance!" Veronica smiled patronisingly at Leaf and she looked back at her blankly.

"Uh...are you okay?" she asked and Veronica just laughed.

"Oh I feel just great!" she simpered, grinning at Leaf and heading off down the hallway.

"Okay...that was weird." Leaf muttered, staring after her.

"What's going on?" Drew asked, not taking his stern gaze off of Brendan.

"Nothing that concerns you, Hayden." Brendan glared back and I looked at Leaf worriedly.

"She's nothing but trouble." Drew pointed to Brianna. "So I'd watch your step, Birch."

"Hey!" Brianna stomped her foot angrily but both males ignored her.

"You don't understand anything Hayden!" Brendan spat, and he and Drew standing face-to-face, like two lions in a battle of pride. I sighed in pure disbelief and ran over to them.

"Guys...guys! Stop!" I spoke gently, trying to calm them both down.

They both ignored me, and I could see Drew's hands slowly curling into a fist.

Can't we have one day without any drama in this house..?

"Stop it right now!" Leaf yelled, pushing Brianna and Melody aside and literally getting herself in the middle of this confrontation.

"You're just jealous of me Hayden." Brendan sneered and his tone of voice scared me. This isn't the sweet guy I went on a date with last Monday...

"You? Why would I be jealous of you?" Drew scoffed as Leaf attempted to drag him away from Brendan. It didn't work of course.

"Because May hates you, and you can't handle that." he grinned and I think that touched a nerve of Drew's.

"Don't drag me into this!" I growled.

"No comeback Drew? Aw. I guess you can't always have what you want." he spat, heading into his room and slamming the door behind him. I was utterly shocked at his actions, he must really hate Drew...

Brianna had stomped off also, dragging Melody with her.

"Are you okay?" Leaf asked me after a slight moment of silence and I nodded.

"I only came to ask for my tiara back..." I sighed and Drew looked up.

"May, come with me a moment." Drew spoke after a moment of hesitation.

"Why..?" I asked.

"Because."

"Drew, 'Because' is not a good enough reason." I sighed.

"Please?" he used his dazzling eyes to tempt me into coming with him. As I counted the colours in his eyes, I just couldn't say no.

"Fine..." I whispered, following him down the hallway. I looked back at Leaf to see her smiling at me, before she headed off herself.

Drew walked into his room and I hung awkwardly in the doorway, not really sure whether to step into this pig sty of a room.

"The mess is Gary's, not mine." Drew said with a smile.

He turned his back on me, like he was searching for something.

"This is what I was supposed to do a while back, but I guess I screwed up." Drew turned back to me, something glittering in the palm of his hands. "Here, I believe this is yours."

My tiara...he must have taken it back from Brianna.

"Thanks..." I murmured, not really sure what to say at this point.

"Look, I'm sorry." he sighed. "For yelling at you this afternoon, you didn't deserve that."

Tears sprung to my eyes and I quickly blinked them back down. I headed over to where Drew was and sat myself down next to him.

"It wasn't just you...it was me Drew. I'm sorry for being so horrible to you yesterday, I'm sorry for not hearing you out and I'm so sorry for lying to you." I whispered and he smiled gratefully.

"I forgive you May...but what exactly did you lie about?" he asked, curiosity in his expression.

"I told you I didn't miss you...and I lied." I smiled shyly. "I don't want things to be awkward between us any longer; I think you're a sweet guy Drew."

"Yeah, you're pretty sweet yourself Maple." he grinned and I giggled, my laugh twinkly.

"Shut up Grasshead." I nudged his arm playfully and found myself looking out of the window at the millions of shining stars in the sky, watching as each elegant dark cloud passed by. Time seemed to slow down.

"I'd wish I could have seen Brianna for who she truly was." Drew sighed. "I've decided. I am never falling in love."

As he ran a hand through his hair, I laughed at his serious facial expression.

"You can't help falling in love Drew, it just happens." I shrugged.

"What do you know about being in love?" Drew scoffed, flicking that infuriating piece of hair again.

If only I had some scissors...

"Not a lot, but my mom always told me that I should never look for love, it'll find me..." As I spoke, I found myself smiling stupidly.

"You know, I'm glad things have worked out between us. I missed not talking to you." Drew sounded slightly distant. I glanced at him, and he too was looking at the view of the night sky.

"Me too Grasshead." I giggled as he hit my arm. "Violent! I'm going to bed. Fingers crossed we'll both survive another week, I don't think I could bear it if you guys went home." I smiled, trying to sound confident. Inside I was shaking like crazy. I wrapped my arms around Drew and he quickly returned the favour.

He was warm and I felt safe locked up in his arms like this...

Ugh, what am I saying?

"_The_ May Maple of Tiger Rose couldn't bear it if _I_ went home? I'd love to say I'm flattered." Drew grinned as I rested my head against his shoulder

"Don't twist my words, jerk." I stuck my tongue out at him and stood up.

"See you tomorrow May." he smiled, and for the first time ever, it wasn't the usual patronising smirk. His smile meant something.

As I walked out of the room, I looked at the tiara in my hands.

I am never losing this thing again.

* * *

><p><em><strong>The next day...<strong>_

__**~Misty's POV~**

_**Saw your performance last nite lil sis, talk about a mini sensational sis! Lil-x**_

I jabbed the 'back' button on my phone and flung it onto the floor in anger. I'm surprised it didn't smash into a million pieces.

I am Misty Louise Waterflower! I am my own person, not a sensational slut! How dare she!

"Mist, what are you doing?" a concerned voice made me jump.

"Wh- Ash! Don't scare me like that!" I scolded, but then smiled.

"Me? Scary? Awesome!" Ash grinned and I slapped a palm to my head, groaning.

"No I what I meant was...whatever. I'm just annoyed right now." I sighed and surprisingly, Ash was sympathetic.

Maybe he isn't as dense as he makes himself out to be.

"What's up..?" he asked.

"Just my stupid sisters. I gotta calm down that's all. Unless you're volunteering to be my punching bag?" I smiled jokingly.

"Whatever it takes." he smiled and I burst into laughter.

"You're so sweet Ash." I grinned, ruffling his raven coloured hair.

"...are you calm yet?" he asked.

"Well, you took my mind off it for a little while I guess..." I couldn't help but smile.

"Misty...I came to ask you something." he muttered quietly, I could only just make out what he said.

"What?" I asked and Ash moved a little closer to me, and I felt butterflies in the pit of my stomach.

"Will you...man I'm not good at this kind of thing at all..." Ash blushed, he looked really cute.

"Will I what? Come on Ash, tell me!" I literally shook him for answers.

"I know we're supposed to be rivals in this competition, but I care about you Mist. More than you'll ev...ever know." he stuttered slightly.

"Yeah..?" I trailed off.

"I've never thought liking a girl in the way that I like you right now...willyoubemygirlfriend?" he spoke those last words in a jumbled up mess, I couldn't make any of it out.

I had to ask him to repeat himself.

"Mist, will you be my girlfriend..?" he asked and I was shocked.

"It's fine I understand...we'd probably end up in all those gossip magazines that you hate and I don't want you to get bad publicity..." he gabbed and I shushed him by placing a finger to his lips.

"I don't care about any of that Ash. People are obviously gonna talk, let 'em. The answer's yes by the way." I spoke shyly and now he was the one who looked shocked.

"R...really?" he grinned and I leaned closer.

"Yes, idiot!" I giggled and pushed my lips to his, showing him I was serious about us.

Ash was stunned for a moment, but he kissed me back and I was seeing stars. I linked my hands with his and allowed myself to get lost in the moment with him.

"Get a room! Wait...no way is that Ashy-boy!"

My eyes flew open and Ash and I broke apart, both blushing although our hands were still entwined. Gary, who just happened to walk into the living room, looked beyond surprised right now.

"Are you...and Misty..?" the boy was speechless and I felt a little uncomfortable with him being here. I'd forgiven, but I hadn't forgotten. I was still slightly wary of him after Monday's drama.

"Yes Gary..." Ash, I noticed, wasn't looking his friend in the eye.

"Now that we're famous, no way did you get a girlfriend before me." he shook his head in disbelief.

"Who got a girlfriend?" Paul asked as he walked inside. He then laid eyes on Ash and I.

"Is this really happening?" he asked.

"Hey!" Ash growled and I laughed.

"Yep, It's official. I honestly think I'm going insane." Gary smirked, but his smile softened slightly when he looked at me.

"What?" I asked him.

He sighed. "Misty, I know I sound like an ass but...please forgive me for what I did? I feel horrible."

"Gary I forgave you already, but please promise me one thing." I spoke.

"Thanks...but what?" he looked relieved.

"Leaf and I have become close lately, and I know the girl's lying to everyone, including herself, about her feelings for you. She's in denial." I sighed. "I need you to make her happy again, you're the only one who can do it."

"I've tried..." he muttered. "She won't listen."

"Then make her listen! Jesus Gary man up!" I honestly felt like shaking a bit of sense into the guy.

"You're right." Gary smirked suddenly. "Thanks Ginge."

"Don't push it." I glared at him playfully as he sauntered off, fixing his hair in the process. Paul shook his head and headed out.

"Now Mist, where were we?" Ash grinned.

"Oh yeah, I remember." I grinned, leaning in and kissing his soft lips once more.

* * *

><p><em><strong>At the arena...<strong>  
><em>  
><strong>^Leaf's POV^<br>**  
>"You and Ash? Together? That's so cute!" May squealed at Misty with glee. After (finally) making up with Drew yesterday, May had gone back to her sweet, loveable self.<p>

Meanwhile, I'd only gotten worse.

After Gary kissed me again yesterday my head was all over the place and my emotions were sky high. I ended up slapping him right into next week for reminding me of a certain past event of my childhood, a memory I'd tried so hard to repress over the years. I thought he'd forgotten too.

I can try to forget all I want, but deep down Gary Oak will always be my first kiss.

And he knows it.

I put my head in my hands, trying to block out the celebrity performance on the television, I didn't know who it was and I didn't care. My ears had begun to ring, I felt light headed and faint.

"Leaf?" I flinched as I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders and I looked up to see Misty staring at me. Her facial expression suddenly changed when I looked at her.

"Oh my god your face is as white as a sheet! You need to calm down." Misty exclaimed and I began to stutter, terrible thoughts taking over inside the depths of my head.

"I c...can't do it! I can't go out there Misty!"

"Leaf, look at me." The redhead spoke with a firm yet gentle voice that closely resembled my mothers.

I continued to think negatively, shaking my head. "I just can't do this anymore, I wanna go home! I hate this show and I wish I never auditioned!" I yelled, tears streaming down my face.

At the time, I regretted everything. If the show hadn't asked us to come back then I'd still have my two best friends back home, and things would never have turned out like this.

"You don't mean any of that Leaf, please calm down..." May soothed but I refused.

"Leaf? What's happened?" came a shocked male voice.

I smiled through my tears. Girlfriend or not, at least he was still the same goofy boy I always knew.

I heard Misty faintly whisper something into Ash's ear, but I couldn't make out what she said.

"Sure." he nodded with a smile, quickly heading out. I turned to Misty.

"What did you say?" I asked her, trying to control my breathing.

"That doesn't matter. What does matter is that you need to relax before we go on stage. You are, and I love you when I say this, an absolute wreck."

That's one of the things I like about Misty. There's nothing fake about her, she's real and she speaks her mind.

"Thanks..." I muttered, thinking about my mini outburst before.

Did I really mean all that..?

The answer to that question was both yes and no, this competition had changed my life in so many ways.

May handed me a tissue and I clutched it gratefully, carefully dabbing my eyes.

"Leaf, we can talk about this later I promise. Right now you've got to put on a brave face for the cameras. For us." Misty nodded. I knew she was right, and I also knew I had to tell the girls how I was feeling.

Unless...

"But what if we're going home tonight?" I asked.

"That's not going to happen." Dawn shook her head. "It can't."

After carefully applying eye makeup to Leaf, Dawn helped her up and you couldn't even tell she'd been crying.

"Let's go." May was quietly shaking. I saw Misty delicately crossing her fingers.

We found Dexter, with the boys and the bitches. Misty immediately ran to Ash and he wrapped his arms around her. I knew she was scared about tonight.

"Are they..?" Dexter asked and I nodded.

"Yup." I smiled. Dexter looked baffled while Melody looked horrified at what she was seeing.

I spoke to Dexter for a little while until I noticed Gary looking at me, making me feel self conscious. I tried my best to ignore him.

"Right, we're on. Good luck guys!" Dexter smiled and I thought my legs were going to give way.

Misty held out her hand and I grabbed it so tightly I thought I was going to break it. She didn't complain though.

"Keep calm Leaf." Misty reassured me as we walked out onto the stage. The other acts were standing there, watching as we walked down the steps.

I managed to relax a little by imagining the look on Electric Heart's faces if they were sent home. I even smiled at this lovely thought.

"The first act through to to next weeks competition is..."

My daydreams disappeared in an instant and I was so scared.

"Marina!"

A huge smile appeared on the girls face as she hugged Keira and the other girls. I was happy for her, she deserved to get though.

"The second act through is..."

I looked around and saw Gary. He looked understandably scared.

I carried on staring, unable to take my eyes away from him.

"Electric Heart!"

Ugh. Well isn't this great?

I noticed the girls hugging Dexter, the boys and each other, but did they go anywhere near us? Nope. When Melody hugged Ash I thought Misty was going to explode or something. Luckily she kept a level head.

A few more acts passed. Brendan, Jasmine, Brock and Solidad all made it through.

"The next act through is..."

I was physically shaking by this point. Four acts left and only two could get through, the other two would have to sing again.

"Tiger Rose!"

The hugest smile appeared on my face as we quickly celebrated. I quickly hugged Ash, Paul and Drew, quickly rushing past Gary.

We ran backstage, but we weren't properly celebrating just yet. We gathered around the TV with the other contestants who got through, looking at the final three on the stage. Jimmy, Midnight Run and Ursula.

"The final act safely through is..."

"They have got to get through...come on!" Misty shivered, desperate for her brand new boyfriend to survive another week.

"Jimmy!"

The boys...were in the bottom two?

I looked at the girls and they all looked shocked. They were in the bottom two with Ursula. As horrible as she was, Ursula is a really, really good singer.

"They're not going to beat her...she's too good!" Misty muttered.

"Come on Misty, think positive! They can do this." I tried my best to cheer her up, even though I was still a mess.

As Ursula was singing first, the boys came backstage.

"Ash!" Misty wailed as he stood next to her. "What if you have to leave? You cant leave…"

"I'm not going anywhere Mist." Ash smiled comfortingly.

"Guess it was fun while it lasted, huh." Drew sighed and May looked up.

"Don't you believe you guys can beat her?" she asked.

Drew stared at the TV. "It's hopeless, we might aswell pack our bags now. Ursula's an amazing singer, they're bound to choose her over us. A group has never won this competition before." he replied.

"Guys, just go out there and do your best. Fight for it!" Dawn sounded pumped. "You've gotta smash your song and send Ursula home!"

"She's right." Paul spoke and we all turned to him. "As much as it kills me to say it guys, but we're all in this together."

A smirk appeared on Gary's face. "Did he really just say that?" he began to laugh and Paul glared at him.

"Go to hell." Paul spat and folded his arms as Gary laughed at him.

Meanwhile, Ursula had finished her song and the boys were getting ready to go back out and face the music. (no pun intended)

As awkward as the situation between Gary and me was, I didn't want him to leave. It's just not fair.

"Good luck guys, we'll have our fingers crossed for you!" Solidad and Jasmine smiled, crossing their fingers.

"Why are you rooting for us?" Drew asked, "Ursula's in your category?"

"Because she's a bitch!" Jasmine snorted. "She thinks she's too good for us..."

Solidad and Dawn quickly hushed Jasmine's rant as Ursula walked past, smirking competitively at the boys. They gulped at her presence.

"You can do it Gary. You have to." I quickly whispered as they walked back to the stage.

Luckily, he didn't hear me.

. . .

As the boys took their place on stage, I felt a wave of nerves crash over me. They had to get this right, the others would be miserable as hell if they went home.

Then, some familiar sounding music began to play.

I know this song from somewhere!

**Paul:  
><strong>_In the nightlight do you see what you dream?_  
><em>All your troubles are they all what they seem?<em>  
><em>Look around you then you may realise<em>  
><em>All the creatures saw with the light<em>

**Drew:  
><strong>_And I might know of our future_  
><em>But you still control the past<em>  
><em>Only you'll know if you'll be together<em>  
><em>Only you know if we shall last<em>

**Gary:  
><strong>_In the nightlight do you still feel your pain?_  
><em>For the valor, you waited but never came<em>  
><em>If you were able, would you go change the past<em>  
><em>To mend a faux-pax with one last chance<em>

**Drew:  
><strong>_And I might know of our future_  
><em>But then you still control the past<em>  
><em>Only you'll know if you'll be together<em>  
><em>Tonight!<em>

**Paul:**  
><em>Cause every night I will save your life<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>And every night I will be with you<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I still stay awake<em>

**Gary:  
><strong>_And I dream, of an absolution!_

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I will make it right<em>

**Paul:  
><strong>_And every night I will come to you_

**Gary:**  
><em>Cause every night it just stays the same<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>And I dream, of an absolution!<em>

**Paul:**  
><em>In the nightlight do you see what you dream?<em>  
><em>All the triumph and all you'll ever be?<em>  
><em>Look around you, then you may realise<em>  
><em>Happiness lies trapped in misery!<em>

**Gary:  
><strong>_And who knows what of our future_  
><em>We can all try to change the past<em>  
><em>Only you'll know if you'll be together<em>  
><em>Tonight!<em>

**Paul:  
><strong>_Cause every night I will save your life_

**Ash:**  
><em>And every night I will be with you<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I still stay awake<em>

**Gary:**  
><em>And I dream, of an absolution!<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I will make it right<em>

_**Paul:**_  
><em>And every night I will come to you<em>

**Gary:**  
><em>Cause every night it just stays the same<em>

**Ash:  
><strong>_And I dream, of an absolution!_

_...  
><em>

As an instrumental part began, it suddenly clicked in my mind where I had heard this song before.

"I know this song!" I exclaimed. My eyes swivelled to the tv at the same time the cameras zoomed in on Gary. It felt like he was staring directly at me.

"What's the song?" May asked.

"It's from a video game." I replied, not taking my eyes off of the screen. The boys were jumping to the beat, the crowd entranced by their every move.

"What game?"

"I can't remember the name...it was the one about the blue hedgehog that runs fast! Gary and Ash used to play it all the time!" [A/N - Could I make it anymore obvious?]

"What a cute idea using a song from a video game, so original!" Misty beamed as the boys began to sing the last part.

...

**Paul:**  
><em>Cause every night I will save your life<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>And every night I will be with you<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I still stay awake<em>

**Gary:**  
><em>And I dream, of an absolution!<em>

**Drew:**  
><em>Cause every night I will make it right<em>

**Paul:**  
><em>And every night I will come to you<em>

**Gary:**  
><em>Cause every night it just stays the same<em>

**Ash:**  
><em>In my dream, of an absolution!<em>

_..._

As they finished, Ursula came back out onto the stage and stood next to the boys. The judges were to make their decision. This was it.

I stared at the tv, hoping that the boys had done enough.

"Okay, I'm going to Dexter first. Who do you choose to be sent home?" the presenter asked and Dexter replied in a smooth, lax tone.

"Ursula, I have no idea why you're in the bottom two as you're one of the stronger solo singers in this competition. Both of the performances were outstandingly good in their own individual way but I think you already know my decision, I'm choosing to stick with my boys." Dexter nodded. "The person I choose to send home is Ursula."

No surprise there.

"That's one for the boys. Jordan?" he turned to Jordan, who was tight lipped. This could go either way...

"I can't understand why either of you are here and this decision is a hard one. Ursula, your voice is pure and beautiful, you smashed your ballad last night. Midnight Run, as I said last night, great song but the vocals need work. You surprised me tonight though, your song choice was incredibly unique and you really got your audience involved." Jordan spoke.

"I'm going to have to push you for an answer Jordan." the presenter meekly interrupted.

"Okay, this was a hard decision but the act I choose to send home is Midnight Run."

"No!" Misty let out a little cry and Dawn gasped, her eyes wide with shock.

I didn't understand why they reacted in such a way until I finally realised the obvious.

Keira had yet to choose who she was going to send home, and Ursula is in her category. Of course she's going to want her to stay!

As she opened her mouth to speak, I just knew.

She makes the final decision, and I know she's going to send the boys home.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>- The boys are in a bit of a tight spot at the moment:( Will they stay or will they go? Stay tuned for the next chap!

**RECAP.**  
>-Drew finds out about Dawn and Paul<br>-A twist is mentioned, which will be revealed in the next chap  
>-Brendan throws a hissy fit<br>-May goes to get her tiara from  
>Brianna which ends in a confrontation involving Brendan and Drew<br>-May and Drew finally make up! (There will be a big Contestshippy part soon, can't wait to write it!)  
>-Ash and Misty get together!<br>-Misty forgives Gary and makes him promise her something  
>-The girls get through, but the boys have to sing again<br>-Paul tries to motivate the others...

This chapter had some belleshipping moments at the start I know, but it's merely a bro/sis relationship. I actually quite like the ship in that respect:)

Well done to **AnimexLuver4Ever**,** Saikono-san**,** 11Mayghane11**,** ReadyToRockAndRoll** and** PokemonSLR** for guessing correctly! It was indeed Drew who found out. Some of the answers I got were very amusing to say the least xD

Please review guys, I don't bite^_^ It's been tough writing for both of my stories (with school getting in the way and all) but I managed to get this chapter done mainly by reading all of your lovely reviews again, I love them all to bits:D

:)~


	14. Chapter 14: The Letters: Part I

Chapter 14: The Letters: Part I

The Reply Corner!

**Kurono-Angel**- Ahaha, I'm glad you're glad at me updating! Hm, you think somethings going to happen with Ash and Misty? LOL, even I don't know what's going to happen with them, I've planned nothing besides a few little things. I love Sonic toooooo! :)~

**Chi-Chiwaw**a - You are forgiven my lovely! It's just the people that are blatantly reading my story but they don't review once that annoy me, grrrrrr. I get you, writing that tension between May and Drew wasn't fun.

**Fprmr1**- Ahhhhh you noticed!:D I'm just casually using some parts for the Contestshippy moments, and maybe May will write a song about those moments with Drew;) You never know! Love the song by the way, last time I listened to it was agessss ago. :)~

**Missy**- Oh god. Before I say anything, I flipping adore your bluntness in your reviews. Everything you say just makes me read the chapter back and cry laughing, because it's just true! Especially the part about everybody having hormonal problems. Oh, and your comparing Gary to a child predator, but let's not go there xD As for whether the guys get sent home...well you'll just have to scroll down and find out, won't you;)

**pokemonSLR**- Wowowow, I'm so touched! I'm glad my words moved you like that, it's an amazing thing to hear. Ohmigosh I know, I'd lie! Much love for that song, I adore it. :)~

**Lov3dXOXO**- You think my story's awesome? Hehe you're sweet:D Thankyou X

**SYKpop7**- Yeah I remember, how could I forget? They're all yours minus Brianna. Promise! xD I took way too long to update last time, right? I'll try to keep the updates weekly, maybe fortnightly if I'm too busy. Oh god, hyper you is hilarious! You're so cute, despite the weird imagination XD Thankyou!

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- Love ya too! Omg I know how you feel, my history teacher alone gives us essays to do for homework EVERY LESSON. I hate her. I'm happy that you loved the Contestshippy moments, they were so cute to write! Hm. Ursula isn't really a part of their group, but she gets along with Electric Heart easily because they all have something in common. Awww, my friends call me stupid too cause I'm blonde XD Well, I love your reviews sosososo much! Always putting a smile on my face! :)~

**LittleMusicLover**- Aw, thankyou darling! I love leaving you all in suspense with a cliffhanger, it's funny XD I'm really happy you're enjoying the story, and I hope you love this chapter too! :)~

**Roselia124**- I'm glad you don't know, it makes it more of a surprise that way! I'm glad everyone agrees with me about Belleshipping, ehe!

**Lil'MissEya**- Awwww thankyou so much:D To be honest, even I don't know when this story's going to end, but we're only on the third week so I have no idea. It seems to have a mind of its own:') Geez, what is it with killing all the characters? XD Weeeeell, the other girls are already taken, but Brianna and Brendan are all yours!

**Saikono-San **- Aw sorry, I hated leaving it at a cliffhanger, but I'm just evil like that XD Nopeeeee, no sneak peeks for you just yet! I don't do planning ahead so if I ever use an idea of yours, I'll be sure to tell you:D

**LoveLoverGrl **- Thankyou!:D Aw sorry, I hate cliffys too:( I wanted to carry on but the chapter was getting too long and I didn't know what to do with the guys, I had to think about it:')

**xRissychanx - **The next chapter is here! Eeeeeee. Aw it doesn't matter, you're reviewing now is what counts. Belleshipping friend moments I loveeeeeee.

**11Mayghane11**- Oh but oh, will disaster strike? Mwahahahaha! I'm such an idiot:') Thankyou muchly! :D

(For LAPKat, your reply's at the end of the chapter, so read it after you've read the chap:D)

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>_- "You know that I'm a crazy bitch, I do what I want when I feel like it."_

Except own Pokemon of course. *sad face*

* * *

><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

My eyes never left the screen as the cameras turned to Keira. She looked uncomfortable and I knew she was blinking back tears.

"Okay." she uttered shakily after a few moments. She turned to the boys, and they looked crestfallen. I noticed Gary look at the female judge with pleading eyes. I knew he didn't want to go. Not in the second week, it's humiliating.

My eyes then swivelled to Paul. For the first time, the barriers around him had been battered and broken, and his face practically oozed emotion. I stared at him, stunned at what I was seeing.

I knew. Paul wanted this more than anything in the world.

"Boys..." Keira spoke and I snapped back to the situation at hand.

"I...you four are one of my personal favourite acts in the competition, excluding my own acts, and this is tearing me apart. Ursula is one of the best soloists in the competition, and I know she wants to be here. You both want to be here but that just isn't possible."

She gulped as the presenter had to press her for her decision.

"I'm so sorry...so, so sorry but the act I choose to send home is Midnight Run."

Delicate tears escaped Keira's eyes and the boys were just stunned. The crowd began to boo loudly at this decision. I couldn't watch anymore and turned to the girls. Leaf had her eyes closed as she leant against the wall, gently hitting her head against it.

"I knew it." she whispered, her voice breaking slightly.

Misty was sitting hunched up on the floor, hugging her knees tightly as she tried to come to terms with the decision. She'd began this blossoming new relationship with Ash, and now they were going to be torn apart. Just like that.

May meanwhile, was gawping at the screen, completely emotionless. "Drew..." she whispered under her breath.

As the show drew to a close, I watched as Ursula walked past, a triumphant smile on her face. Anger boiled inside of me like lava in a volcano, but I couldn't let her get to me.

The presenter began to talk about something or another, but I just grabbed the remote and switched it off. I didn't care.

_"...hey."_

I turned around to see the boys at the door. Their liveliness and personalities (excluding Paul) had vanished, leaving behind four sullen beings.

None of us spoke for a few moments, the silence overpowering.

"I can't believe this is really happening." Leaf trembled, a tear falling delicately down her cheek.

"I guess we just have to accept it..." Drew sighed.

"But it's not fair! You don't deserve this..." May cried out, running over to Drew and attacking him with a hug. Drew looked bewildered for a moment, but he put his arms around her protectively.

"Hey...don't cry. You're still here, you should be happy." Drew soothed her as he realised she was crying, and he carefully wiped a tear from her cheek.

"But I'm not happy! Just when things are going okay, just when we start talking again, something bad happens! It's like fate just wants you to stay away from me!" she replied and cried harder. Drew held her tight. He looked like he wanted to tell her something, but he couldn't.

"Misty it's okay, you can cry if you want to." Ash forced a smile as he stared into her emotionless eyes.

"No, I'm not going to cry Ash. You guys aren't dead." Misty's smile was wobbly.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked.

"Anything." she replied.

"You won't forget me, will you?" Ash asked her. Misty opened her mouth in shock and a small gasp fell out.

"Ash...you're still my boyfriend, you idiot! How could I ever forget you?" Tears escaped from her eyes and she wiped them away furiously.

"I guess this is goodbye, huh." Gary half-smiled at Leaf, and she just stared at him.

"Don't say that." she muttered, unable to look him in the eye.

"It's true though. I did everything for you Leaf, but it wasn't enough, was it?" he sighed.

Leaf didn't even acknowledge him. Instead, She pretended to be interested in a chip in her nail.

Gary continued, despite her ignorance. "I tried everything. I stuck up for you and got bitch slapped by Veronica, I cried over you, I told you I loved you, I kissed you, and when I was six years old I even asked you to marry me." Gary smiled a little at this last point. "Yeah, I didn't forget about that."

"Gary...I-" Leaf was shaking furiously.

"I know. You don't love me back, and I've got to deal with that." he shrugged as if it was nothing.

"It's not that..."

"It is. Leaf, if you change your mind then I'll be waiting. Just remember, I won't wait forever." Gary quickly kissed her on the forehead and headed out of the room before she could react. Leaf was too lost in thought to even respond.

"I'll see you soon Ashy Boy." Misty put on a smile, using Gary's pet name. Ash didn't seem to mind though. "Call me?"

"Every day." Ash smiled as the two exchanged a slow, meaningful kiss before he had to leave.

Drew finally let go of May and unexpectedly kissed her on the cheek.

May blushed like a tomato as he left. Paul ended up leaving without saying a word to me, or any of us. I tried to summon up the courage to talk to him but I just blushed and became tongue tied. I hate being like this!

Maybe having Paul out of my life is for the better.

"Come on. We are not going to wallow in misery any longer!" Misty clapped her hands as the door came to a close, trying to be strong. I really admired her right now.

"We're not?" May spoke, wiping tears away from her eyes.

"Of course not! This week we're going to write a new song and smash it next weekend." she smiled.

"There's a problem with your plan Misty." Leaf near-whispered. "This week we're paired with another act, remember?"

Misty rolled her eyes. "Great..."

She picked up the remote and switched the tv back on, only to find that SingOff had finished and the ads were playing.

"Damn, we missed the end! Now we don't even know who we're paired with..." I sighed and watched as Misty sat down with Leaf, grabbing her hand and squeezing it tightly.

My thoughts were interrupted by three figures entering the room.

"Get out." Leaf snarled suddenly.

"We don't want any trouble..."

"Good. Now get out." Leaf moved her bangs away from her face as Misty tried to calm her down.

I watched with curiosity as Brianna, Melody and Veronica just stood there and brushed off every single insult that came flying at them, courtesy of Leaf.

"What do you want?" I asked. I hadn't had a personal run-in with any of them, so I didn't hate them as much as Leaf, Misty or May did.

"We've come to apologise. For everything." Veronica bit her lip and Leaf looked astonished.

"You..? Apologising?" she repeated. The blonde nodded.

"We've been such bitches to you guys, I'm so sorry."

"We're sorry too." Brianna and Melody hung their heads. May blinked in confusion, her eyes darting around to get our reactions.

"I mean, now that we're working with you, it's only fair that we put what happened behind us..." Brianna smiled.

"Woah, hold up!" Misty spluttered. "You what?"

"We're working with you guys...did you not watch the end of the show or something?" Melody asked. Leaf had a murderous look in her eye right about now.

"We're with you this week? Please tell me this is a joke." May's furious glance was directed right at Brianna. I knew she still hated her.

"No it's not. Please don't be difficult! We've apologised for everything, and if we can get along just for one week then we can both stay in the competition. Unless you want to end up like Midnight Run?"

I didn't know what to say. I already knew this was bad with a capital B.

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? Some of us are upset right now." May tried to make her tone more friendlier but it just didn't work, and she sounded hostile instead.

She'd had enough run-ins with Brianna to know that the two of them were never going to get along, no matter how hard they tried.

"Sure." Melody nodded and the three of them left.

"This has just gone from bad to worse!" Leaf moaned when they were out of earshot.

"But what choice do we have? We have to work with them or it's over." I sighed.

"It could have been anyone else, I wouldn't have minded! I swear the producers hate us or something!" May rubbed her eyes, which were red from her tears earlier.

"I know. Let's just go back to the house, I've just about had it with today!" Misty growled and stood up, and we all followed her out of the room.

"Misty, are you sure a long distance relationship between you and Ash is going to work out?" May asked. The redhead smiled confidently.

"I'm upset that I won't be able to see Ash in person for a while, but he's not gone forever, I can still talk to him." she brushed a piece of hair out of her face.

"And besides, Dawn has a boyfriend way back in Sinnoh right? If she can make a long distance relationship work, then so can I."

Misty and May turned to look at me and a fake smile immediately appeared on my face.

"Uh...yeah! It'll totally work out for you Misty..." I nodded.

A horrible feeling appeared in my gut. Although the part about the relationship working for Misty was genuinely true, I hated lying to these girls so much.

I really need to tell them everything.

_**A few hours later...**_

As I tossed and turned in bed for about the fiftieth time, I finally opened my eyes and gave up on trying to get any sleep. It was hopeless.

I looked over at the others and they were sleeping soundly, tiny little snores coming from May. Even Leaf looked peaceful and content in her dreams.

Maybe those dreams were better than reality.

I straightened out my pillows and lay back down, only to hear the sound of crinkling paper. I grabbed my phone from the side table and shined the light.

My heart skipped a beat as I saw that it was a letter, written quickly with spiky handwriting.

Paul's spiky handwriting.

I began to read.

...

_**Troublesome. Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you before, I was too angry at myself and anyone else who dared to come within five feet of me. I wasn't in a mood with you personally, and I didn't want any sympathy from you or your annoying friends anyway.  
><strong>_  
>I rolled my eyes. This was Paul alright.<p>

_**But I'll admit, I'm really going to miss you. Even though you cheated on someone else with me, but let's not go there. Nobody's perfect. Not even polished little pop stars. It's a shame I had to leave before I could change your mind, but whatever. I'll get over it.**_

'I'll get over it...' I felt a huge lump in my throat reading that one sentence alone. With shaky hands, I scanned my eyes over the final part of the letter.

_**I can't believe I'm saying this, but even though we had our differences (and you annoyed the hell out of me at times), I think we could have been really good together. But you didn't choose me, so I hope you're happy with Lucas.  
><strong>_  
>I wanted to scream out loud. It's not that I didn't choose him, I just couldn't choose between them! But it's too late now...<p>

_**I have to end it here, because Ash has already asked me why I'm writing a letter, the idiot, so I guess this is goodbye. It was fun while it lasted Dawn.**_

**_Paul._**

...

I let the crumpled piece of paper flutter onto my bed and I turned off my phone. All I could see was darkness.

"Why am I so selfish..? Why couldn't I choose..?" I whispered to myself so quietly, I barely heard it.

I should have been happy that fate had finally chosen for me, and it had chosen Lucas. Paul was gone now.

But I wasn't happy, and I hated myself for it.

* * *

><p><strong>~Misty's POV~<strong>

...  
><em><strong><br>I miss you alredy -Ash:)**_

_**...  
><strong>_

I smiled at the text I'd just received from Ash, even if he had missed the second 'a' from 'already'. It made him even cuter.

"I miss you too Ash." I sighed to myself and began to reply to his text. I pressed send, and I noticed Dawn was sitting on her bed, holding a crumpled piece of paper. Her eyes were continually scanning up and down the page, like she was analysing the words. She quickly shoved it under her pillow and I made a mental note to have a little snoop later.

"Morning sleepyhead." I yawned and headed over to May, who was still curled up in her duvet.

"I'm not getting up." she mumbled, burrowing deeper into the covers. I couldn't even see her face now.

"Come on May, don't be like that. We hate them too." I knew she was still upset about having to partner with Electric Heart, and I didn't blame her.

"I'm not working with them." May replied stubbornly. I rolled my eyes and left her alone, I was only wasting my breath.

"Heya." I walked over to where Leaf was brushing her hair. "How are you feeling?"

Leaf smiled. "You probably think I'm crazy, but I'm actually happy. I'm glad the boys are gone." she shrugged.

I was surprised at this. "Really?" I asked.

"Gary was constantly in my face. Wherever I turned, he was there! I couldn't hear myself think with him around..." Leaf rolled her eyes. "But I'm definitely going to miss Ash, and maybe the other two aswell."

"What are you gonna do about Gary?" I asked. Leaf froze for a moment.

"I...I'll think about that later." she shrugged as if was nothing.

"Later? Leaf! What if Gary happened to get a girlfriend because you 'left it till later'? You wouldn't be okay with that!"

I hated ranting at her like that, but Leaf needed to see sense.

"No, I think I'd be just fine with that! Maybe then he'd leave me alone." Leaf answered back, matching my tone. It was like dealing with a six year old brat.

"But you don't want him to leave you alone, do you?" I sighed and left her thinking, following Dawn downstairs.

...

"Misty! There you are..." Marina and a few other contestants came up to me as I entered the front room.

Marina waved a magazine in front of my face and I took it and read.

"Wow. News travels fast huh." I smiled as I eyed the images of Ash and I, all over a double page spread talking about our new relationship.

"It's a shame they had to go, I kinda thought they'd easily get the votes." Jasmine sighed.

"I thought that too, all the girls seemed to love them." I shrugged. "But it's over now, and we just gotta carry on fighting for our own places here."

"I guess so." Jasmine smiled and I walked into the kitchen with her, Solidad and Marina.

"I'm so happy for May too, how cute!" Solidad grinned at us, I looked back, confused. I didn't say anything though.

Melody and the other two smiled at me as I entered the room, and I felt a sick feeling in my stomach.

I didn't understand. A few days ago they hated us, and now? Talk about changing your mind.

"So, I hear you and Ash are dating? Sucks that he's gone, huh."

I turned around and saw Melody looking right at me.

"I'm fine. Why do you even care?" I asked, my tone sounding slightly off. Oh well.

"I'm just trying to be nice..." Melody sighed, her eyes wide with hurt. I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever. I'll co-operate with you and the other two for this week but that's it. We are not friends." I sighed and sat down next to Brock.

"Why are you so down Misty?" he asked.

"I miss Ash." was the easiest answer to give. Of course I missed Ash, but I was also missing Gary too. Even after what he did, I really do miss the guy.

"Of course, you and Ash are dating aren't you? You'll be fine." Brock nodded solemnly, and it gave me some hope. Ash wasn't the type to cheat, and I really doubt he was going to start now.

"Thanks Brock." I grinned, spreading Nutella on a piece of toast.

After I'd eaten that, I got a spoon and ate the entire pot of Nutella without even realising it.

My mind was so focused on Ash, I didn't have time to think about anything else.

"Hey Misty." Dawn took a seat on the other side. She too looked deep in thought, and I wondered why.

"Dawn, can I ask you something?" I asked, getting out my mirror and checking for any traces of chocolate around my mouth.

"I'm listening." she yawned.

"You know about your boyfriend, did you ever feel like you didn't love him anymore, or that spark left because you hadn't seen him in awhile?" I asked, and Dawn exhaled slowly.

"No. I love P...Lucas...with all my heart!" Dawn answered. She looked pale.

"Dawn? Why do you sound so nervous?" I asked.

"I'm fine!" Dawn's voice was high pitched and alert, something wasn't right here...

...

After breakfast, I realised that May and Leaf were still upstairs. I headed up and opened the door to our bedroom, where I was met with a nasty scream.

"Leaf! Shut the freaking curtains!" May shrieked.

"No! May, what is wrong with you..?" Leaf headed over from the window and knelt down beside May's bed.

"Nothing's wrong." she answered with gritted teeth

"Like I'm going to believe that." Leaf rolled her eyes.

"Just leave me alone!" she snarled, nestling down even further into the covers.

"May...please. You're not yourself. What happened to that sweet girl with the guitar glued to her hand, huh?" Leaf smiled, but May remained stony faced.

"You're one to talk Leaf. You weren't exactly on cloud nine last week, were you? You had a guy confess his love for you and you rejected him! Many times! A million other girls would be dying to have Gary Oak as their boyfriend, you know!" she replied.

"What, like you?" Leaf couldn't keep her head any longer as she made a snide remark back to May.

She just didn't have any patience.

"Huh, as if!" May replied and Leaf began to shout back, louder this time.

I made a groaning sound and sat on my bed, turning on the laptop. Neither of the two seemed to notice my presence.

"Well I had my reasons for rejecting him May!"

"Why can't you tell us those reasons, huh Leaf? Why have you gotta be so secretive?"

I turned up the volume, drowning out their voices.

Leaf turned to face me, and May sat up in her bed.

May sighed and rubbed her head as our voices filled the air. I was playing Enchanted, the song that May had written. This seemed to calm her down, thank goodness.

I tuned the laptop around for them to see, and their eyes melted into the screen.

"That was the best moment of my life." May slightly smiled.

"There. Are you going to calm down now? That goes for you too Leaf."

"Yeah..." they both grinned, smiling at each other.

Leaf hugged May. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, I'm such a bitch."

"No you're not! I started it, so I'm the bitch!"

The two had a little play-argument over who the 'bitch' was. I turned the song off and scrolled over the latest comments for the video.

**_'So happy for you May!'_**

**_'Ooooh I'm so jealous of May! Drew is one hot guy.'_**

**_'May and Drew are the cutest couple!'_**

"What..?" I blinked, staring at the screen. Almost all of the comments were saying the same thing.

"May? Get here now." I ordered and she headed over, still smiling.

That smile faded however, when she looked at the screen.

"What the hell is this?" she shrieked.

"Are you and Drew dating?" Leaf asked.

"No we aren't! So why do all these people think we are?" May was hysterical.

I clicked off of the video and thought for a moment. Solidad had a magazine didn't she!

I ran out of the room with the other two following me, and I headed down the stairs two at a time. I picked up the magazine that Solidad had previously left on the sofa.

Ignoring the front page cover of Ash and I, I flipped through the pages until I saw it.

May groaned. "Why me..?"

There was a picture of Drew and May last night. They were locked in a tight embrace and Drew was kissing May on the cheek, while tear stains were visible on her face.

"You actually look like a couple." I commented, ignoring the glare I got from May.

My eyes slid over to another image, and the two of them were on some kind of boat? Hm. They were both on their knees and looked out of breath. Drew was whispering something in her ear while May just blushed red.

"When was that taken?" Leaf asked.

"On the way here, Drew and I were messing around on the boat-" she stopped as Leaf began to giggle.

"Not like that!" she sighed. "But I had a feeling that we were being watched..."

I looked at a third image, and it was of Drew and May sitting on Drew's bed together in the boys room, the other three weren't there. You could only see their backs, but May was cuddled up to Drew, his arms were around her and her head was resting on his shoulder.

It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen, except May didn't seem to think so.

"Who took these pictures..? Paparazzi aren't allowed in the house!"

That made me think, May was right. Two of these images were taken in the house and the arena, and the paparazzi weren't allowed in either of the two. The producers of the show had banned it.

"That means one of the other contestants took those pictures." Leaf whispered. "Who would do that?"

"I don't know..." May sighed, blinking a few tears away.

"I have to go change, if anybody asks about that stupid article, tell 'em it's not true. None of it." May hurried up the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

_Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry._

I didn't know what to do. I felt so angry and upset at this person for doing this to me.

As nobody was around, I crept into what was previously the boys room and carefully closed the door behind me.

It was empty. Horribly empty.

I turned on the light and peered around. Everything just looked so...bare? Last time I was here, there was a mess of clothes and junk on the floor, a beautiful, cloudless night sky and an equally beautiful green haired boy.

No, May!

I can't be getting feelings for Drew Hayden, surely...

I sighed and walked over to Drew's bed. As I sat down, I felt something lumpy underneath the quilt. I lifted it up and found a white Abercrombie hoodie underneath.

How did he manage to leave this behind?

I held it in my hands and realised that this was the hoodie he wore on the day I first laid eyes on Drew.

I saw something sticking out of the hood and pulled it out.

It was a letter. With my name on the front.

Curiosity overpowered me, and I tore open the envelope. There were a few red rose petals inside, which were a quite shrivelled. I began to read.

...

**Dear Maple. Hopefully it was you that found this, and not somebody else. I couldn't give this to you personally because we had to leave before you guys came home.**

**I didn't get to tell you everything I wanted because you were in such a state already, I didn't want to make you cry even more. I'm gonna miss a lot of things now I'm (probably) back in LaRousse. It's not too far from Ever Grande, but I may as well be a million miles away.**

**I'm going to miss waking up to Paul's grumpiness, Ash's stupid questions and Gary's pure laziness. I'm going to miss writing songs with those guys, laughing and joking until we finally had our perfect song. I'm going to miss Dawn too, she became the little sister I always wanted and I felt like a big brother to her in return.**

**But those things are nothing compared to the one thing I'm going to miss most. When you and the girls performed Enchanted, something just clicked inside me. But I was stupid, fooling around with Brianna and wasting my what precious time I had here fighting with you. The argument we had that night still sticks in my mind from time to time.**

**You called me 'the cocky yet cute boy with his trusty guitar' and you asked me: 'What happened to my Grasshead?'**

**Well I can't answer that question May, but I just hope you found your Grasshead before he left.**

**Drew:-)**

**P.S - Sorry about the petals, I was going to give you an actual rose, but I ended up doing playing 'She loves me, she loves me not' with it, and I couldn't give _The May Maple_ a stalk full of thorns now, could I?**

**P.P.S - Keep the hoodie, it'll remind you of me;)**

**P.P.P.S - Sucks that you guys have to work with Electric Heart this week, but you gotta try your best and just do it May. I'll be rooting for you guys:-)**

...

I reread the letter over and over, until my sight turned blurry. I folded it up, and then noticed he'd written his phone number on the back, with 'call me maybe' written next to it. I quickly saved the number in my phone and headed out, with the hoodie and my letter, to change out of my pyjamas.

As I went, I looked at the rose petals and thought.

He said was playing 'she loves me, she loves me not' with them, and I couldn't help but wonder whether the petals told him I loved him, or not.

I really hoped the outcome was truthful.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong> - AAAND DONE. Phew. Ehehe I bet you all expected me to keep them in and make the two groups sing together. NOPE. That would have been totally cliche and boring, so I paired them with Electric Heart instead XD I'm evil.

.::::.

**LAPKat** - Celebrity? Pffft, I wish xD I was going to put your reply up there with the others, but I didn't know how to reply to you without ruining the chapter:')

I have to ask, were you expecting me to send them home? I was thinking about going with the norm *yawn* but I think I'm just as evil as you are. And drama is my middle name! XD

.::::.

Okay, HELP. Now the bitches are paired with TR, I need a song for them! I have no idea what to choose either D: So please suggest something for me, anything! I'm open to all genres, please:')

Please review! I'd be such a happeh bunneh, and I will ALWAYS reply to you. Even if the review is only two words long, but I obviously prefer replying to longer reviews:')

Don't hate me for sending the boys home XD

By the way, for anyone who cares, I'm going to put my other story on hold for a while because I just can't seem to work on two stories at once without taking a month or so to upload. It takes forever and it's annoying for me. I'm not quitting it, I will finish any story I write, no matter how long it takes. I'll get back to Codename Kitty when this one is as good as finished, promise. Hope you don't lose interest if you were reading it:(

Till next time! :)~


	15. Chapter 15: The Letters: Part II

Chapter 15: The Letters - Part II

I shouldn't be replying when I'm in a weird mood but...;)

**Fprmr1 -**I was going to keep the guys but then I thought, "It's drama timeeee!" so I sent them home instead XD All I can say for your song choices are...thank you so much! Lets just say I found my song;) Much love!

**SYKpop7**- Mwahahaha! Your protesting will not bring them back;D Aww thank you! I wish I could call myself a genius but my...ahem...math skills are terrible. I'm not even kidding. You're very welcome! :)~

**Kurono-Angel**- Aw I know it's heartbreaking, but who knows what's going to happen next?;) I love these pairings more than life to be honest XD I'm sorryyyyyy for taking so long to update again. I'm not very good at keeping this story to a schedule at all:')

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- You did? Awwww! *gives virtual hug* I'm glad you loved the chap, it makes me feel amazing:D I wish I could tell you that, but it won't be true:( Oh weeeell. Lol you only just realised? XD I didn't know who to put as the judges at the start, so I thought using the contest judges would be a good idea:-) Larveeee youuuu. (My bad attempt at a London accent:')

**Chi-Chiwawa**- Merry writing...I am so gonna start saying that! Hmmm, I like your way of thinking. Whether how that's how the story goes...well you'll just have to see won't you? Because even I don't know where this is going:') I haven't had a moment to myself lately, but if I have time I'll check out your fic:-)

**ShiningSilentStar**- Thanks! :) I love writing the emotional/really sad parts, idek why. :)~

**hellokawaii15**- Heyaaa:-) Thankyou, and I'm so glad it isn't cliche. It's good to be a little different. I have a soft spot in my heart for k-pop, but my friends called me weird when I showed them a couple of videos xD

**Missy**- Aha same here! Yes Keira, you are sexist;) I'm glad Ursula isn't real. I think I'd have to slap some sense into the girl if she was :P Ooh somebody's a little annoyed with Gary, aren't they?;) Aw Drew's a sweetheart. If only real boys were more like him... Ehe, one of my friends would definitely approve of your choices, he's a massive fan of Gaga. XD

**pokemonSLR**- Hehe aw:') Paul and Dawn are pretty delusional, they belong with each other but they just don't know ittttt. Writing his letter was surprisingly difficult, but I think it turned out okay in the end. What part of the chapter did you think that Team Rocket were in? XD Just curious. Contestshipping adorableness is life. Glad you love this!:-)

**Looketh**- You love 1D? OMG ME TOO! *high five* They make me so happy to be British. You nearly cried? Awwww:-) Well I think it's safe to say that those letters officially killed everyone xD

**Lov3dXOXO**- Expect the unexpected with me! XD Call Me Maybe...that song haunts me I swear. I still love it though. :)~

**Roselia124**- Yes I do;) Thought I'd throw a major plot twist in here, and see how that turns out. I do love my Contestshipping moments:D Wellll, I guess Ash is trying to be more mature now that he's with Misty xD But this is Ash we're talking about, so we shall have to see:')

**LAPKat**- *high fives back* Yeaaah buddie! Thank you:') You felt special? Dawww, I'm glad I could put a smile on your face! That's exactly what I thought, if Ursula was better, then the judges aren't going to send her home, duhhh. Unrealistic much:D Yayz, someone who actually understands my way of thinking! Oooooh I like the sound of that. Hai fanboys ;)

**LittleMusicLover -**Why did I send them home...I don't know. it seemed like a good idea at the time XD I guess I'm weird like that. Lucas and Paul meeting would definitely be an awkie momo. Hmmmm, ideas ideas... I made the chapter sad because I freaking can:D

**EvidenceOfSouls**- Ahhhhh thanks:) Victorious is life! I love that show:D

**BittersweetSienna**- Maybe you did see an I'd Lie reference...but maybe you didn't;) Thanks! I'm happy you love it. Even I don't know what's going to happen, I've kinda just written whatever up until now, I don't do planning:')

**LoveLoverGrl**- Aw, thankyou:D I'm glad you liked it!

**xRissychanx**- Fangirling over a fictional character may be sad, but we've all done it;D For example; Paul was basically the reason why I watched the Diamond and Pearl series, omg xD Speaking of Paul, idk but his letter was really hard to write...

**Contestshippingforever**- Ahhhhh yay! My love for One Direction is unreal and I can't believe Harry Styles lives literally twenty minutes from my house AND I STILL HAVEN'T MET HIM. And I probably never will. *le crys*

**Lil'MissEya**- Awww I didn't want to make you a sad panda but that's just the way it is:( But who knows what might happen? Have fun planning their deaths! :D

**11mayghane11**- Why thankyou:D I hope this chapter's just as good too, although I'm not sure. Thanks for the suggestions! :)~

**Palkias Princess**- Thankyou! That's fine, don't worry about it:) As for the song, I'm not sure. I've been putting a few hints in for a certain song though...and no spoilers!;) I don't do planning ahead, and I don't know what's going to happen next.

**aznpandagrl**- Ahhhhh don't hyperventilate on me! Well if your upset about the lack off Oldrivalness, then you're probably not going to like this chapter...eheh. Well, let's just say I like surprising you guys...maybe a little too much xD

**Happyc**- Hiya:-) Aw thank you so much! All I seem to be doing is apologising in these replies XD Sowieeee, the reason I sent them home is because I can;) That and I felt like it.

**Fangora The Dragon**- Ahhhhh I thought you'd died or something;D You and your Hedgehog-related songs...seriously! XD Aw man, now you've shot the judges there's nobody to judge the competition! What am I to dooooo?;) LOL anyone else would have kept them in, but I'd thought I'd be different for a change. :)~

That was quite a few replies...hopefully I didn't miss anyone:D

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>- I don't own a thinggggg. Wah I wish.

* * *

><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

I smiled slightly although fresh tears were forming in my eyes. I didn't even know why I was so upset, I just hated the way things had turned out. Why did Drew have to leave so soon..?

May whipped out her phone and texted Drew from the number on the back of the letter.

I got that letter of yours, who knew you could be so sweet? ;) -May

I pressed send, a stupid little smile on my face. I ended up reading his letter again and again, it was so freaking cute.

I quickly gathered up everything and hurried out of the room, heading back into my own. I stuffed the letter back into its envelope and hid it under my pillow, and then I changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a black tee. Then I put Drew's hoodie on over it. It was so warm and cosy.

Besides, he said I could keep it.

I was about to go downstairs, but I was met with Misty, Dawn and Leaf rushing up the stairs.

Dawn looked at me. "May, we're going."

"What? Going where?" I asked, puzzled.

"I don't care where, but we're getting out of this house even if it kills me." Leaf looked angry.

"Why? What happened?" I asked again. I hated asking questions, but then again I didn't have a clue what was happening.

"Nothing happened, I just can't stand Electric Heart right now!" Leaf grumbled.

"What else is new?" I laughed, but I stopped when they glared at me.

"They're trying to be nice but it's annoying me even more! You coming?" Misty asked.

"Sure...where are we going?" I slipped on my converse, followed them downstairs and we headed out, being sure that Brianna, Melody and Veronica didn't follow us.

"Hm, that's a good point. Where are we going?" Leaf asked.

"I don't know." Misty shrugged back.

Ever Grande City was a funny place, it was like it separated itself away from the rest of Hoenn entirely. The island itself was quite small, and the majority of it was covered in flowers which seemed to dance with the wind. The place was beautifully tranquil.

We hurried away from the house, and to my surprise the paparazzi weren't outside like usual. That immediately struck me as odd.

We headed down the road and I felt

I was glad we had some freedom for a change, even if we were supposed to stay in.

I looked back, and I saw a few figures in the distance.

Then they got closer.

And closer.

"Looks like we've been spotted already..." Dawn sighed.

"No, they are not coming over here. I can't deal with any more questions about Drew, I'm sick of them!" I shrieked and ran. The other three were right behind me.

"Why are we running?" Leaf screamed wildly. Her hair was blowing in the wind and her cheeks were positivity glowing.

"Because we are!" Misty yelled back. I started to laugh like a maniac, and the other three began to laugh with me.

"This way!" Dawn dragged us all into a forest nearby, in hope we'd lose them. She led us around so many trees and I tripped over a small-ish branch just lying on the ground. Leaf began to howl with laughter, so I picked up the branch and hurled it at her head.

"Are they gone?" I whispered, peering my head around the tree I was standing behind.

Bad hiding spot, I know.

"Yeah." Leaf replied breathlessly. She leant against the tree and groaned, picking tiny twigs out of her hair. They seemed to camouflage. "My head hurts."

"Well that was your fault." I shrugged, looking around.

This place was dark, but it had an aura of light emitting from the top. It cast an orange glow around the place.

There was only one thing I could see right now. _Trees._

So...many...trees.

"Guys? Where's the way out of here?" Misty asked. Leaf and I immediately turned to face Dawn, but she looked back with a lost expression on her face.

"Don't look at me!" she spoke quickly.

We're lost. Great.

"I can't live in a forest! I'm not Tarzan!" Leaf shrieked, the intensity of her voice scaring a few nesting birds out of the trees.

"I'm pretty sure Tarzan lived in the jungle, Leaf." Misty sighed.

"It's the same thing. But still! This place is a maze." she shrugged.

"Only we could get lost in a forest." Dawn slapped her forehead with the palm of her hand.

"You were the one who got us lost in the first place!" I argued.

Dawn stuck her tongue out at me. "You should be thanking me May. Unless you wanted the paparazzi on your case?"

I knew she was right. "No..." I sighed.

"Come on. Anyway, it's only a little forest. We found our way in, so how hard can it be to get out of here?" Dawn laughed.

* * *

><p>Oh, she was so wrong.<p>

After ten minutes or so of wandering around aimlessly, Dawn, Leaf and I gave up on trying to find our way out of here. Misty didn't even bother, she just climbed one of the trees and settled herself on the lowest branch, watching us amusedly.

"Why aren't you worried?" I asked Misty and she just shrugged.

"We'll get out later. Besides I like places like this, they relax me." she smiled.

"Who do you think you are, the Wise Woman of the Forest?" Leaf snorted, but stopped after receiving a ferocious glare from the redhead.

"Geez, sorry." Leaf smirked.

Misty rolled her eyes and opened her bag. However, her expression changed dramatically when she took something out of it with her right hand, and just stared at it.

Curiosity took over, and I found myself climbing onto the branch, sitting myself next to her.

She was holding a letter. Just like the one I received from Drew.

I was so surprised, I nearly fell off the branch.

Misty quickly began to read.

_**Hi Mist! Woah, it feels like I'm talking to myself. I saw Paul writing a letter and he looked like he was crying! When I asked, he yelled at me to leave him alone so I thought I'd write you a letter too.**_

_**I know I only saw you not toolong ago, but it feels like years already. It's so weird! My mom always told me I'd never get a girlfriend if I carried on acting 'stupid' as she calls it, but I totally showed her! She wants to meet you actually.**_

I looked over at Misty and she was grinning from ear to ear. I wondered if Ash knew about Drew's letter...

_**I wish I was better at this boyfriend stuff, and now that I've gone back to Kanto it's going to be even harder. I just want you to know that I'll always support you no matter what, and all I want in return is you. I think you're prettier than any of the other girls I know, even the pretty girl working at Oak's lab.**_

_**I don't know what love is Mist, so I can't say that I love you just yet.**_

_**But, I like you more than food.**_

_**Ash :)**_

_**P.S - Sorry about the lack of envelope, I think Gary stole it...**_

_**P.P.S - Sorry for putting this in your bag and not telling you, I thought I'd surprise you!**_

_**P.P.P.S - Sorry for all of this apologising.**_

_**P.P.P.P.S - Dammit! Sorry for saying sorry again!**_

Misty and I looked at one another and burst into giggles.

"Oh Ash..." she shook her head, and tears began to form in her eyes.

"Are you crying? Misty! Come here..." I gave her a hug and she started to laugh.

"I am such a sap!" she laughed, wiping tears away from her eyes. She swiftly kissed the letter and put it back in her bag.

"You're a sap who misses her boyfriend." I smiled and jumped down from the tree after Misty. A sudden rush of wind picked up, but I didn't even shiver.

"Do bears live in forests?" Leaf asked. She was sitting cross legged on the ground, trying to get a signal on her phone.

"Do you really think a bear would want to live on an island full of flowers?" Dawn rolled her eyes.

"I don't know. If I were a bear, I would totally live here." the brunette responded.

"Just for the record Leaf, you aren't a bear!" Dawn bluntly stated.

"You just have to ruin it, don't you?"

"Ruin what?"

"Sh!" I hissed. I almost swore I could hear a distant voice behind this pointless bear squabble.

"May?" the voice yelled again, louder this time.

He said my name. It sounded just like...

My thoughts were cut short as a figure emerged from the distance. A huge smile appeared on my face, but it slightly faded soon after.

It wasn't who I wanted it to be.

"Brendan..." I smiled slightly. After our weird little argument the other day, I hadn't spoken to him once.

"Why are you here?" Leaf asked, narrowing her eyes. I wondered why, until I realised she was there when I caught Brendan discussing something with Electric Heart.

She obviously didn't trust him.

"I could ask you guys the same question?" he smiled.

"How did you know we were here?" Dawn asked, slyly countering his question with another.

"The paps got a picture of you guys running off, and there's others of you heading into here. I put two and two together and figured you'd be lost. I've been here before." he shrugged.

"We are not lost." Leaf folded her arms standoffishly.

"Oh of course not." Brendan replied sarcastically. Leaf glared at him.

We began to walk away, following Brendan's every move. He seemed to know where he was going, even though there were so many twists and turns.

"Wait, how do you know about those pictures?" I asked.

He exhaled slowly. "Uh...those pictures are all over the internet."

"Oh." Misty bit her lip.

We walked in relative silence, with Brendan stealing glances at me a couple of times.

"Heh...the producers of the show are going to be pretty mad with you guys." Brendan smirked, but it faltered as we looked back with confused expressions.

"Why would they be mad with us?" I asked.

"It...It doesn't matter." Brendan replied quickly.

As we exited the forest, I was so relieved. That place was intimidating.

I looked at Brendan and shivered with the cold. He smiled, putting his arm around me.

"You had me worried for a minute there May." he then lowered his voice after I didn't reply. "Look, I'm so sorry about that pathetic argument. I was just being stupid. Forgive me?" he smiled, a hopeful look on his face.

"Sure." I grinned. I was happy with that, I hated fighting with people and Brendan was no exception.

Back at the house...

"Let's just go to our room." Dawn whispered to us as we slowly opened the front door. However, our plan was thwarted when the bosses of the show were sitting and waiting patiently for us to arrive.

When they clapped eyes on us, the four of them stood up and ushered for us to come over. Brendan was sent away, much to my dismay.

"Come here girls."

My heart began to beat just that little bit faster as we reluctantly headed over. I wasn't looking forward to this...

One of the male bosses had an angry look in his eye. "Do you girls have any idea about the stunt you've pulled?"

I resisted the urge to protest. **Stunt?** All we did was leave the house!

"It wasn't even that big of a deal." Dawn spoke fearlessly, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"There's all kinds of speculation going on right now. There are rumours that you girls were running away from the damn show! This is going to damage your reputation and ours!" one of the female bosses lectured us, carefully choosing to ignore Dawn.

"Well, maybe we don't want to be a perfect little girlband! Ever think of that?" Leaf near screamed. Misty had to calm her down.

"Fine. Just...be careful what you wish for ladies." one of the male bosses simply nodded his head and left, the other three following suit.

As the front door slammed shut, I looked across at the other girls, and they looked back at me, not really sure what to make of what just happened.

"What did he mean by that? 'Be careful what you wish for...' " I quivered.

"I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it." Misty quickly reassured me.

_"Where have you guys been?"_

I ignored Brianna's voice and put my head in my hands, trying to block her out.

"We just went out. Problem?" Dawn growled.

"Uh...yes! We haven't even started writing anything yet because you disappeared!" Melody replied.

"Do I look like I care?" Leaf smirked. Veronica appeared and headed towards Leaf, a nasty smile on her face. All forms of niceness had vanished.

"You're more alike to him then you'll ever know, Green. The two of you deserve each other." Veronica narrowed her eyes and Leaf glanced at her.

"Who?" she asked.

"Don't pretend like you don't know." she scoffed. "Do the words _'lovesick puppy dog'_ring any bells?"

Leaf clenched her fists. "You...you better stop talking."

"Why should I? This is clearly getting to you." Veronica smirked.

I could tell Misty wanted to say something, but she knew this was between Leaf and Veronica. If we got involved, all hell could break loose.

"It is not getting to me!" Leaf snarled. I saw tears spring to her eyes, but she blinked them away.

"You're scared."

Leaf froze. "Scared of what..?"

"Change. I finally figured it out, you're scared of change. You don't want to grow up, do you?" Veronica smirked.

Leaf's lower lip began to tremble. "Th...that's not true!"

"I rest my case." she grinned as the tears finally escaped Leaf's eyes. The rest of us were stunned.

"What the hell was that?" Brianna asked. She had a look of shock on her face. "I can't believe you'd stoop so low, V!"

"So what?" Veronica shrugged, not a care in the world. As she walked away, I expected Leaf to fly at her in a rage.

But she just stood there and let the tears fall.

"Leaf I'm so sorry, she was out-of-order! We'll go find her and we can get her to apologise if you want..." Melody suggested.

"It...It's fine. Thank you though." Leaf smiled, rubbing her eyes.

"No prob." Melody smiled back and headed out of the door, with Brianna behind her.

"At least they're not all bad..." Dawn smiled. Leaf slumped onto the sofa, sighing with misery.

"I can't do it. I can't work with her!" the brunette raged.

"We've got no choice." I brushed my hair out of my eyes.

Leaf pouted. "It's just not fair!"

"Come on Leaf...I don't want to leave here. None of us do." Dawn sighed.

"Just ignore Veronica. Come on, we have a song to write." Misty stood up and headed for the stairs, we followed behind.

"Hey, there you guys are." Brianna appeared from her room.

"Hey Brianna, we've come to start with the song writing." Dawn smiled. I just couldn't bring myself to smile however. I still didn't like the girl.

"Oh, there's no need for that." she spoke quickly. "We've been given a song to sing instead. Everybody has."

"What song?" Misty asked, cocking her head to the side.

Then, we heard a powerful voice emerge from inside of Electric Heart's room.

**_"Creole Lady Marmalade"_**

"That's the song from that film...Moulin Rouge!" My eyes widened with surprise.

Why would they give us such a raunchy song?

_'Be careful what you wish for...'_

Oh yeah, that's why.

Talk about being thrown out of your comfort zone! I silently cursed whoever made this decision and the five of us headed into the room. The voice turned out to be Veronica's, and she stopped singing when we headed inside.

"So we just have to learn this song instead of writing our own? That should be easy." Misty grinned.

"Well, I've decided I'm having this part." Veronica circled the part she wanted on the lyrics sheet she was holding.

"Uh, you can't just decide that." Misty frowned.

"I already did." she smiled.

"That's a huge part; there won't be enough solos for anyone else!" Dawn near yelled when she realised how much of the song Veronica actually wanted.

"Tough cookies. Maybe if you guys didn't run away this morning then things would have been different." the blonde shrugged.

"You're not having it!" I put my hands to my hips but she just laughed me off.

"Sweet little Maybelle is going to push me around? I don't think so. Go home, little girl."

My face flushed with anger. "Don't patronise me!"

She ignored me and began to sing something. I clenched my fists and growled when I realised she was singing Enchanted.

My song.

She was singing purposely out-of-tune and pretending to play a guitar. She was making fun of me.

I couldn't take anymore and lunged forward, grabbing Veronica's hair and pushing her away. She looked startled for a moment but she dragged me down with her, kicking and screaming. The whole thing was a blur and the next thing I remember is being pulled away from Veronica by Brianna, of all people.

"What are you doing?" I yelled as she hauled me away.

"Getting you out of there before she kills you!" she yelled back. I was so surprised, I stopped struggling. Why had she suddenly stopped being a bitch?

She let me go and I dusted off my hands. Veronica didn't say a word, and we continued to discuss the song.

It was as if nothing had even happened.

* * *

><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

"Aw, cheer up little bro!" Daisy Oak came skipping into her younger brothers bedroom, sitting on the bed beside her brother. Daisy was only a couple of years older than him, but she treated him just like a kid.

"Go away Dais." Gary near growled.

"Somebody's grumpy today." she smiled.

"Hm. I can't imagine why." his voice dripped sarcasm but Daisy laughed it off.

"It's not the end of the world, you know." she sighed, putting her arms around her brother.

"It is." he muttered into her shoulder.

"You still have Ash, he's literally next door." she smiled.

The reason she said 'literally' was because Ash lived two doors down. Next door lived a brunette beauty, who was currently living in Hoenn. Gary's former best friend and one third of the 'Pallet Musketeers', as they were known.

As he reflected on the past, tears shot to his eyes.

He'd never get it back.

He'd never get _her _back.

Daisy wrapped her arms around him for a moment, and then kissed his cheek.

"You'll be okay Gare, I promise." she nodded, heading out of the room. The second the door closed, Gary reached under his pillow and grabbed a rectangular white object, something which he had stuffed under his pillow when his sister barged through his bedroom door.

It was a letter.

Gary stared at it for a few moments, feeling the urge to throw it away, burn it, anything.

He planned on sending it to someone, but his thoughts were holding him back.

_**"What if it offends her?"**_

**_"What she doesn't even read it?"_**

**_"What if there's a spelling mistake?"_**

Gary shook his head and ran a hand through his hair.

'Spelling mistakes? Really Gary.' he thought to himself. He made himself stand up. He wasn't going to be a coward any longer!

He sped out of his room and flew down the stairs two at a time.

"Gare?" Daisy called out from the living room, but Gary was already out of the door.

As he headed out, he collided straight into somebody, knocking her off balance.

"Oh! You scared me there Gary..." she giggled as looked up, realising it was him.

"Hey Amy." he grinned, relieved to see this girl. He held out his hand to help her up and she clasped it gratefully.

Amy Willow worked at his Grandfather, Professor Oak's lab and her and Gary had been friends for a few months. It contrasted completely with his and Leaf's relationship, but that suited him just fine.

He hated girl drama, and Amy was anything but that, in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry about the competition Gary. I thought you and your friends were amazing, I voted for you guys, we all did." she sympathised, brushing her polished chestnut hair out of her eyes.

"It's fine Ames." he put on a smile and she blushed a slight pink colour.

"Hey, what's that you're holding?" she asked, pointing to the letter in his hand.

"Oh...it's nothing." Gary stared at the letter in his hand for a moment. "So why were you skulking around my house then?" he asked in a light, teasing voice.

Amy giggled. "I was about to knock on your door, your grandfather wants you to go down to the lab."

"Gramps. Has he never heard of a phone?" Gary rolled his eyes.

"Clearly not." she grinned, her jade-green eyes shining.

"I guess I should go. Listen...could you post this for me? I guess you could say I'm in a hurry." he asked, holding out the letter. Amy took it, looking at it with curiosity.

"Sure!" she smiled brightly.

"Thanks Ames, I owe you one." Gary flashed her one of his signature smiles as he headed over to the lab. She smiled to herself, feeling the butterflies in her stomach.

Amy looked on the cover of the letter, feeling her stomach knotting up.

It had _her _name on it.

Her fist automatically tightened around the letter. Carefully darting her eyes from left to right, she concluded that nobody was around.

Amy tore open the letter impulsively, but she simply wasn't prepared for what she was about to read.

_**Leaf. I don't even know why I'm writing this because I already told you everything I needed to say to you. You're probably sick of me right now, I wouldn't blame you if you were.**_

_**This is making us both miserable, and I hate it. I'd sacrifice anything for things to go back to how they used to be. When we were the best of friends and nothing was awkward between us. Before I got any feelings for you.**_

_**It's obvious you aren't ready for love, even though you'd never admit it. You have the mental age of a ten year old but hey, that's one of the many things I like about you. That particular list goes on and on.**_

_**I honestly thought you were the one for me. It had to be you. I'll be okay, but I want you to know one thing and one thing only. Thank you for letting me into your life. I'm grateful for every moment we shared, every laugh we had, even the kiss for crying out loud.**_

_**You, Ginger, December and Princess are gonna win SingOff for me, you hear? Go and fulfil your dream, being in the limelight always was your destiny. While you're off being famous, I guess I'll just stay here. I never could leave this little town.**_

_**Leaf Green, I'm sorry I couldn't change your mind. Maybe someday you'll find a guy who can.**_

_**-Gary x**_

Amy felt her heart break in two when she finished reading his letter. Deep within, she had a huge crush on Gary. She missed him like hell when he left for Hoenn.

But he loved Leaf. He truly loved her.

Even though she didn't love him back, how could she compete with Leaf Green? She was everything Amy wished that she was; cool, confident, funny and pretty.

And not to mention famous.

It just wasn't fair. The brunette began to shiver, wiping tears away from her eyes. Anger boiled up inside her and she ended up tearing Gary's letter up into tiny pieces, letting them fly away with the breeze.

"Maybe fame'll go to her head and she'll stay away for good." Amy muttered to herself as she turned back to the lab.

She planned to make Gary hers, and she wouldn't give up until he'd forgotten Leaf Green completely.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note<strong>- Sorryyyy. I could give you guys a TON of excuses about why I didn't upload earlier, but life just got in the way. I had a German writing exam and I had to memorise seven paragraphs of my own writing-.- That took up most of my free time. I'll try to update more frequently but I'm a total perfectionist, so if I hate the chapter I'll delete the entire thing and start over. This was actually my third attempt:')

Then after months of waiting, I finally went to see The Hunger Games last Thursday, which was a total rollercoaster of emotions for me :') I cried so, so much and I started shaking whenever a tracker jacker was on screen. (wasp phobia-.-) It was one of the best films I've ever seen, if you haven't watched it then just goooooo already. You won't be disappointed.

The chapter - Man I got a little depressed while writing the Oldrival letter, I've been so emotional lately:') I introduced an OC, and I bet you all loved her. ;-)

Thanks to everyone who suggested a song, it was a hugeeeee help! After much decision-making, I went for Fprmr1's sugestion of Lady Marmalade:')

**Also ~ Okay, I REALLY need your opinions on this. I've had a sudden burst for inspiration for a new story and I'm uber excited about it. Heres the summary:**

..

_Four boys and four girls are sent to a camp for a month after they rebelled against the Principal, but nothing is safe here. Creatures kill and everything is controlled. There is only one way out of here and these teens have to find it before the month is up...or else.  
><em>

..

**Crap summary I know. The shippings are the same as they are in this story. The first chapter's already written and if I uploaded it, would you read it? I need answers:-)**

Peace. Love. REVIEW!

:)~


	16. Chapter 16: Breakdowns Lead To Breakups

Hello :D

**LittleMusicLover**- Oooh so much Amy hate going on here;D Thanks for pointing out the mistake, I went back and unbolded it. Totally rushed the editing part but ah well. Thanks! I'm glad you like this story :)~

**Missy **- You know, I seriously thought you'd gone a little weird in the head when you said that Gary and Amy belong together. At least you were joking;) I decided to make Ash's letter cute because I love Ash. Not as much as Misty does though, obviously. Hmmmm you may think that, but is Brendan actually up to something? Lol, I don't even know yet. I take each chapter as it comes. That monster you made is going nowhere near this story;D Nightmare...

**pokemonSLR **- Ahaha I'm glad you liked the song choice. I'm gonna have tons of fun with this one xD The reason Amy ripped up the letter is because she was totally jel of Gary liking Leaf and didn't want her to get the letter incase it happened to make Leaf fall in love with him or something. I don't know what's going on in her head. Hehehe Paul does bring mystery to the anime. My faves from Diamond and Pearl were always the episodes with him in them:'D

**hellokawaii15**- Phahaha, Amy's blasting off again! XD Idk, it made me laugh. With Brianna etc, I don't have a clue what's going on with them. I'll decide later, like I do with pretty much everything:') As for your question, I like 2NE1 too! I also love Girls Generation:-)

**Left-to-die **- Ehe;) I think Cato looked hawtttt, even with blood pouring out of his mouth. I'm weird like that. Ahaha you screamed? Well that last part was so frustrating to write because I love oldrival so much, but I managed it. Thank you:-)

**Roselia124**- Who knows when the oldrival will get here? As for Brianna etc, I just thought it would be interesting to make her nice. Even if she doesn't stay that way.. I did have a stupid smile on my face when I reread what I'd written for Ash's letter, because it was so sweet:-)

**ReadyToRockAndRoll**- P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S OH, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE;) Lol, I don't even know what P.S stands for. I should really google that. I love Ash, such a cutie! If Amy and Veronica happened to meet... *shudders* let's just say, I wouldn't want to be Leaf if that happened. Even if she did have sexy Gary declaring his undying love for her...okay I'm off topic now. XD I'm such a Gary Oak fangirl it's unbelievable-.-

**Fprmr1 **- Omg German-.- I nearly died trying to remember it all. -le creys- Ahah you're welcome! I thought it was a good song to choose, cause I was going to go for Girlfriend or something like that, but that song's been used so many times. Mmmmmm pie. It's a shame you threw it at Amy though;) The performance isn't in this chapter, but I can't wait to write it. :)~

**YuriAlisa18 **- Aww thankyou^_^ I can't wait to write the boys reactions, I already have tons of ideas for Drew XD *eye roll* you think the barrier for oldrival couldn't get any worse, and then I bring Amy into it XD For the songs, people either send me requests for the songs they'd like, or I choose them myself *cough*Taylor Swift*cough* ;)

**Kurono-Angel **- Intense-er? Yep, you got that right. Try not to kill Amy in your rage, believe it or not I actually need her;D I haz ideaz. *evil grin* So much speculation about Electric Heart...you'll have to wait and see what actually happens. I'd tell you if I knew XD

**Chi-Chiwawa **- Exactly! When I started this, I thought it was going to be a really nice, possibly even cliche story about the two groups in the competition. Little did I know I'd end up writing sad chapters, making so many barriers for oldrival and sending the boys home to top it all off. It's fun just starting a chapter and seeing what I write. No, I haven't included Pokemon in the story but that would be a really good idea if I did, thankyou! :-)

**SYKpop7 **- Your rants? A++++ my friend. They're so entertaining. It's funny, I'm making Veronica do all this bitchy stuff, yet I'm hating her for it. Hmmmmm. Let's just say, I love plot twists;) As you may already know, Amy is my lovely, kind and understanding OC;) Totally not selfish. At all. *Sarcasmmmmm* Geeeez you're scary. If I were Amy then I'd start running now. As for my future story, I'm not sure if they'll be any kind of character death yet. I haven't really got that far. OMG, when Rue died in The Hunger Games, me and my best friend were bawling our heads off, even though we already knew it was coming:'( /3

**LoveLoverGrl**- Thanks! Ehe, I think everyone hated her:')

**Happyc **- If you thought the last chapter was depressing, then this one's even worse...XD hehe I'm happy you liked my story idea! I've already written some of it but I'm not sure about posting it yet. Hm.

**Citra-sama **- N'awww, it wasn't that lame;) Ohmigosh I know, I didn't really plan for the story to get in such a depression, it just happened:') Ehe we have Gary who's trying too hard, and Paul and Drew who aren't trying hard enough. Balance it out here guys. :p

**Fangora The Dragon **- Okay, I can explain this;) When I was thinking of a name for the OC, the name Amy happened to pop up in my head and I was like, this is the one. It works. Then I thought, 'shiz, Amy is a hedgehog related thaaang. Could I possibly use this name for such a hated character?'

My answer was yes, yes I can;D

Hunger games life. *returns high five* Ohmigosh, the summary does sound similar to THG but, I'm pretty sure it won't be the same:D

**Kaurz9802**- Aw, thank you!:-) I'm so mean to Gary it's unreal XD But hey, I think clingy Gary is cute. N'awww. I'm glad I didn't go with the obvious decision either, although now I have to find a way to get cute moments into the story. *le thinks* Oh my gosh yes, I adored the hunger games! I'm in the middle of Mockingjay right now, although I haven't been able to read it much lately with school getting in the way and all, but I have prioritised this story. I'm determined to finish it, because I've never finished writing a story before:-) I'll probably end up crying when it's over though..:') Ehe, I love long reviews, and thanks for your opinion on my future story!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>- If I owned Pokemon, I would totally build one of those Pokemon Center things that are in Japan, here in England. It'd be like heaven for me! And it wouldn't be in built in London either, because I could write an essay about how much I despise London. But I don't want to bore you with the details though;)

* * *

><p><em><strong>...<strong>_

**Chapter 16: Breakdowns Lead To Breakups**

_**...**_

**((Dawn's POV))**

"You hang up."

"No, you hang up!"

...

"ASH! FREAKING HANG UP!"

I raised my eyebrows at Misty, who was on the phone to Ash.

"Sorry..!" I heard him tremble on the other end of the line. He is so sweet.

"You're so cute Ashy-boy." Misty patronised him, a mischievous grin on her face. "Bye bye. Oh, and say hi to Gary for me!"

I expected Misty to put the phone down, but she was listening intently to something Ash was telling her.

"What do you mean you hardly see him anymore? He lives next door to you!"

"Just...whatever. I miss you Ash." Misty blew a little kiss to Ash down the phone and then, ironically, she hung up.

"You okay?" Misty asked when she looked at me, which was the worst question anybody could possibly ask right now.

No, I wasn't okay. At all. I had a boyfriend home in Sinnoh, who I hadn't been keeping in contact with.

And this was because I'd been cheating on him. Stringing him along.

This wasn't right.

Now that Paul's gone, there's only one thing left to do. The only thing that can stop all of the guilt eating away inside me.

I have to tell Lucas. Everything.

That was the idea, but I couldn't do it. Every time I tried to pick up the phone, my hand froze and I ended up backing out. I was terrified.

There was also another thing, a memory that occurred in my mind far too often.

It was the one thing preventing me from breaking up with him.

_**Flashback...**_  
><em><br>"Hey...Dawn wait up!"_

_The only true friend I ever really had was shouting after me, but that still didn't stop me from trying to get away. I wanted to run so fast that I could go somewhere, anywhere else but this little town._

_He caught up with me regardless._

_"What happened..?" he asked, grabbing my wrists so I couldn't run anymore._

_"It's nothing Lucas!" I snapped, and instantly regretted it._

_His face filled with hurt for a small moment, but it turned into a weak smile as he just held me._

_I couldn't hold it in anymore. I started uncontrollably crying, I could hardly breathe. He rocked me gently, tenderly stroking my hair._

_"I always liked your hair." Lucas murmured into my ear, causing me to giggle through my tears._

_He let go of me. "Dawn, seriously. Please tell me what's been going on, stop shutting me out!"_

_"I...I'm sorry." I stuttered. "I can't take it anymore and she can't stop me from telling y...you this time. She's ruined my life!" I wailed._

_"Who?" Lucas asked me, looking into my eyes. I blinked away salty tears._

_"Ursula." I spat out her name like it was poison._

_"Ursula? But...but why? She wouldn't do that..." Lucas was shocked, yet angered at the same time. He looked like he was going to punch something._

_"I'm sorry you had to find out like this. She's been bullying me for the past two years and I c...can't take any more of it Lucas, I just can't!" I near yelled in his face, although he didn't seem fazed._

_"You haven't told anyone about this?" Lucas asked, his expression angered as I shook my head._

_"I don't understand...weren't the two of you best friends? That's what she always told me..." he asked again._

_"We were. Then she just turned on me, turning everybody else against me aswell. She hates me..." I wiped the tears away from my face._

_"I don't want to ask, but I have to. What the hell has she been doing to you?"_

_I took a huge breath as I listed more or less everything. Lucas looked so, so guilty._

_"She said that if I ever told you about this, things would get worse...so I thought it would be best to keep it from you. I'm so sorry."_

_Lucas took a step away from me and rubbed his forehead. "My best friend has been bullied for two fucking years, and I didn't suspect a thing." he muttered to himself. "How could I not have noticed?"_

_"She's sly, Lucas." I whispered and took out my mirror. "Man, I look so ugly..." I sighed as my make-up had smeared across my face and my eyes were bloodshot red from crying._

_"Stop that." he took the mirror. "You're far more beautiful than any other girl. You need to realise that." Lucas took my hands._

_"You shouldn't do that...you have a girlfriend." I reminded him. The look on his face told me that it was possibly the worst thing I could have said._

_"Ursula is not my girlfriend anymore. Not after what she's done." Lucas gently took his hands away from mine and took out his phone._

_"What are you doing..?" I asked._

_"Dumping her. But here's a tip Dawn. If you ever dump somebody in the future, don't ever do it by phone. It freakin' hurts." he sighed, pressing send._

_"Then why are you doing it?"_

_"Because she deserves it! She hurt you Dawn. She's been hurting you for two years and I didn't suspect a thing."_

_"It's not your fault, you go to a different school! She hid everything from you and did a damn good job of it."_

_"I'm so sorry Dawn." his voice cracked and we held each other._

_Then I saw her. Her candy pink hair. Phone clutched so tightly in her hand, it looked like it was about to smash. She had a murderous look in her eye._

_Then, she screamed._

_**"DAWN!"**_

_**...  
><strong>_

"Dawn?"

...

"Dawn?"

...

**"DAWN!"**

I shook my head and came back to my senses. Misty was still standing right infront of me, clicking her fingers in front of my face. She looked worried.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked. I was still in a daze, so she continued to snap her fingers in front of my face.

"Nothing." I muttered. Misty stared at me for few moments, trying to figure me out.

"You're hiding something." the redhead concluded.

I wanted to tell her she was wrong, but I'm a terrible liar. I ended up saying nothing.

"Dawn, you have to tell me what's bothering you." Misty demanded, but she did it in a soft way.

"I can't..." I felt my voice crack.

"Come on, don't shut me and the others out! We're here for you." Misty coaxed gently.

I thought of Lucas' pure sweetness. He was my only friend after Ursula's cruel betrayal and when I began to date him all those months ago, I was the happiest girl. My life finally found its balance.

Then Paul Shinji came along. We were getting along just fine without speaking to one another. Then one encounter led to another, and Ursula caught us messing around on the sofa. It looked like he was kissing me. She used it as blackmail, and forced me to actually go and kiss Paul. I thought that this would end it. She didn't continue to blackmail me, so it should have been just a kiss. Nothing more, nothing less. We should have just gone back to being strangers.

But there was just one problem.

I liked his kiss. A lot.

Tears sprang to my eyes and I began to cry. I'd bottled up all my emotions, all my feelings for too long. I couldn't hold them in any longer!

Misty seemed shocked at my sudden outburst, but she held me as I cried nonetheless.

"Hey Dawn! Mist..." Leaf and May swung open the door, but they were shocked at what they saw.

They quickly joined Misty in comforting me. After I calmed myself down, May took my shaking hands and held them.

"Dawn...what's happening? We can't help you if you keep shutting us out like this..."

_"Stop shutting me out!"_

Those were the words Lucas had told me, and then I realised.

Ursula was ruining my life. Again.

As May, Misty and Leaf looked at me expectantly, I took a deep breath. Telling Lucas all that time ago had solved my problems then, so why not now?

Maybe the girls could even help me decide what to do, since I couldn't seem to make any major decisions of my own.

And with that, I told them everything without a moment's hesitation. About my past with Ursula, her blackmailing and...Paul.

After I'd finished, the three of them looked stunned. Overwhelmed. The vacant looks on their faces suggested that neither of the three had suspected a thing.

"Is this true Dawn..?" May whispered after a painful silence. At that moment, I was swamped with guilt. Out of all of the girls, May was the one I'd made a connection with, the easiest to get along with. We were close.

Yet I never really told her anything. She confided in me about a sweet letter she received from Drew, about the rose petals and the hoodie.

Did I tell her about Paul's letter?

Of course I didn't. While I sat there and listened to her pour her heart out to me about how sweet and sensitive Drew Hayden really was underneath the 'arrogant hottie exterior', my secrets buried themselves down deeper inside me. The further they delved, the harder it was to bring them back up.

"I'm sorry." I whimpered and burst into tears once more. I didn't deserve any of their kindness. If the media had found out about Paul and I, it could have jeopardised the other girls' chances in the competition.

How could I have been so stupid..?

"Don't be sorry. It's okay Dawn." May whispered soothing words into my ears. Her voice was a lullaby in itself; she could calm anybody down in the worst of situations.

"But it's not okay! If anyone found out about any of this..." I trailed off at the end.

Leaf was just staring at me in shock. While all her problems with Gary were pretty much common knowledge to everyone else, I had kept mine discreetly between Paul and me. Even then, even he didn't know my reasons behind that first kiss.

Our first kiss.

"How did you manage it?" the brunette asked me, tucking her hair behind her ear out of habit. She tilted her head slightly.

"Manage...what?" I asked between sobs.

"Keeping everything a secret. I mean, that bitch bullied you for two years and you never told anyone. How could anybody stand that?" Leaf had tears in her eyes.

I knew what she was feeling. Guilt. Judging by what she, Gary and Ash have told us, Leaf had an amazing childhood with those two boys. I know she'd do anything to go back, so I doubted she'd ever experienced anything like what I had to endure.

"I'm a secretive person..." I snivelled. I stopped crying and sighed.

"I know this probably isn't the right time, but I have to know. Dawn, do you love your boyfriend? Truly?" Misty asked, stating straight into my eyes.

I couldn't lie to them anymore.

"No..." I muttered.

"Then what's holding you back? Your phone's right there, just end this! It's not fair on him." Misty picked up my phone from the side table and handed it out to me.

I just stared at it. "No!" I yelled, pushing it away. It fell out of Misty's hand and bounced onto the carpet.

"But why?" May asked.

I found talking about my problems so much easier whenever May pressed me for an answer. She was a listener, and she had patience. I knew Misty cared about me deeply inside, but she'd never show it on the surface. She was intimidating, and it felt you were being interrogated by a cop if she ever pressed you for an answer.

Leaf on the other hand, was the complete opposite. On the outside, she seemed like a caring and understanding girl. She even had the look of your average girl-next-door.

Lets just say, don't ever judge a book by its cover.

On the inside, Leaf isn't as sweet as you might think. As much as I love her, she's a selfish girl. She refuses to listen to anybody else but herself, and she's stubborn. I guess that's just how she is, you can't change a person.

"Because...because Lucas told me never to break up with anybody over the phone, like how he broke up with Ursula. I could never do that to him, despite everything I've-"

"He broke up with Ursula?" the three of them shrieked at once.

I guess I forgot to mention it...

"Yeah...they were dating a while ago. Lucas broke up with her after I told him about the things she'd been doing to me." I shut my eyes for a moment, that terrible day popping up in my thoughts. It wouldn't leave. It would never leave.

"I think I've worked this out." Misty spoke. After I looked at her with a look that said 'Tell me!' she opened her mouth again.

"She hasn't done this because she wants to expose you as a cheater to the world, Dawn. I think she just wants Lucas."

"But that makes no sense! Lucas would never date Ursula again, not after I showed him her true colours…" I screwed up my nose in confusion.

"She's a selfish girl Dawn. If she can't have Lucas, then nobody else can either."

"So she tried to make me fall for Paul so I'd break up with Lucas..?" I asked after thinking it through. Misty nodded.

"Well if that's true, then she's succeeded." I murmured quietly, but they still heard me.

"You really like Paul, don't you." May stated.

I nodded my head, willing myself not to cry. "I really like him. With Lucas, he was so sweet to me. So gentlemanly. I'd say he was perfect, even."

"Then why Paul?" Leaf asked.

"There was one thing missing from my relationship with Lucas. Thrill. Now I think about it, it was boring. I felt like a married woman at seventeen, and that just wasn't what I wanted. Then Paul came along..."

"Look, you're smiling." Leaf giggled.

She was right. The second I mentioned Paul, a stupid smile broke out on my face and I felt all tingly inside.

Who knew somebody so cold could make me feel so warm inside?

"I felt so guilty but at the same time, I also felt so...I don't know...wanted?" I shrugged.

Despite the guilt, I loved every second of it. Making out in closets, the boys room, the roof, anywhere. We didn't get much further than that though, Paul was firm about it. Not that I tried anything more... The fear of being caught was thrilling, enticing. A feeling I'd never experienced before with Lucas.

"Fine. If you can't break up with Lucas by phone, you're going to have to do it in person." Misty said.

"How though? We have to meet Electric Heart at the arena soon for rehearsals, and then tomorrow's the live show! I need to do it now, but there's no time..."

We'd worked so hard this week; overcoming our differences with our temporary partners (with the exception of Veronica and Leaf), our costume designers finding the perfect outfits that would have every boy at home drooling, and we worked so hard on our vocals and choreography.

"Stop making excuses. We can find time, or you can toughen up and just break it to him by phone." the redhead was beginning to get annoyed with me; I couldn't blame her for it though.

"Why don't you Skype him? Then it's the best of both worlds." May suggested. There was no way I could see him in person anytime soon, so this was the best way.

I had to be strong.

"We'll get you through this Dawn, promise. Just promise us one thing in return." May said.

"What?"

"Please don't keep things like that from us. It hurts to find out something like that from forcing it out of you." she sighed.

"I promise." I hugged May, and then Misty and Leaf joined in. Leaf lost her footing on the bed and fell backwards onto the floor, dragging us all down with her.

After a few minutes of giggles, I spoke up. "You guys are idiots." I laughed. "But I think I finally understand what true friends really are."

"Don't go all soppy on us now!" Leaf giggled. "I'm kidding, I agree with you Dawn. I never had a girl best friend who I could talk clothes, shoes, or cute boys with before. I grew up watching and copying Ash and...Gary." She spoke the brunette's name so quietly, I hardly heard her.

"I think the other girls at school were a little intimidated by me because I was different to them. They didn't understand me, so I wasn't bullied as such, but they left me alone." she smiled a little sadly.

My stomach knotted. Maybe I jumped to conclusions about Leaf a little too soon...

I never even thought about it, although it explains why Leaf and Gary are so strangely alike. They grew up influencing one another, and they turned out to be freakishly similar in personality.

"But now, not only do I have one girl best friend, I have three!" Leaf grinned.

"Don't get your hopes up; we could be going home on Sunday." Misty shrugged, smiling a little as we glared at her.

"Way to kill the mood Misty." Leaf rolled her eyes. "I don't think Ash is the Buzzkill anymore, it's you!"

"Just stating the obvious." she grinned. "But seriously, if we do go-"

Leaf quickly cut her off. "Don't even think about it. Let's just pray it all works out tomorrow first."

Leaf was sick with worry. She'd spent most of the week arguing bitterly with Veronica about who was having that damn solo, and Leaf somehow ended up winning. She knew Veronica would probably get her revenge, but would she really do it on a stage in front of thousands? Everybody watching at home? Somehow I didn't think so.

But I had no idea what Veronica was capable of doing. Would she jeopardise Brianna and Melody's chance in the competition simply because of her hatred for Leaf?

"It will work out. They want this just as much as us." I nodded, trying my best to convince her.

"I know...I just have this feeling." she shrugged, getting to her feet.

"Besides, we have to leave for the arena." I also stood up, clutching my tissues and followed Leaf out of the room.

I wasn't going to sit around and cry anymore, I'm going to fix this. Even if it kills me.

**At the arena...**

"There you guys are!" Melody and Brianna smiled as we entered the arena. Veronica hung back, not saying a word to any of us.

She'd been like this all week, so it was easier just to ignore her.

"Hey." We smiled back at them, being slightly wary at the same time. We weren't quite sure why Brianna and Melody had suddenly started acting so friendly, although it was a refreshing change.

If they were pretending, surely Veronica would be pretending with them?

But she wasn't. At all. I ended up locking eyes with her, trying to figure her out. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue, but they were glazed over with hatred. Fury. Anger.

Turns out, it wasn't just Leaf she had a problem with anymore, it was all four of us.

I swiftly looked away, I didn't want any trouble with Veronica. It was bad enough having Ursula here, hiding pretty much all of my secrets under her smug grin.

But then again, I also knew most of hers in return. I mean, I'd already told the girls that she'd previously dated Lucas, and there was more.

The seven of us split up to go and change, as this was a dress rehearsal.

I looked at the outfit that the designers had chosen for me, but I wasn't exactly comfortable with it.

Because of the Moulin Rouge theme, I had a black lace bra, matching panties and lace-up high heeled boots which set just above my knees. I also had a cute little black hat to match. Let's just say, my outfit didn't leave much to the imagination.

I left the room and practiced walking down the hallway in my boots, as I was slightly shaky.

"Hey Dawn." I noticed May walking up to me, her arms folded across her chest self-consciously. She was wearing a rose-red corset with black vertical stripes, and black panties. Instead of the boots, she was wearing stockings, a garter belt and black stilettos. There was a rose clip in her hair and a small blush on her cheeks.

"You shouldn't be self conscious, you look so pretty May. I'm sure Drew will love it." I grinned.

May nudged my arm, rolling her eyes. "I don't even like Drew like that! I just think he's sweet, that's all."

"He's still gonna love it." I giggled and she blushed even more.

"Shut up!" she squeaked.

We carried on walking until we reached the stage. As a pair were already practicing their song, we hung back.

"Who's on?" May asked me, quieting her voice. I tiptoed closer.

"_Her_." I growled. May knew exactly who I was talking about, she didn't have to guess.

"Who else?" the brunette whispered.

"Her partner's...Brendan?" I was surprised at this, I hadn't seen the two of them working or practicing together at the house all week.

"What?" May appeared next to me and her sapphire eyes widened when she saw him sing. "I had no idea they were partnered together. I mean, Brendan never even mentioned it..."

Now I thought about it, it was true. Brendan had spent a lot of his time this week with May, and she was always with us. I don't remember ever hearing Brendan say he was partnered with Ursula in any of their conversations.

"I wonder why he didn't mention it?" I asked. May shrugged.

I heard the sound of footsteps and turned around, to see Electric Heart walking up to us. Brianna and Veronica were wearing similar clothes to what I was wearing, except Veronica's colour was white, and Brianna's was an orange-pink colour which was similar to her hair.

Melody had a similar outfit to what May was wearing, apart from her corset was purple and the accessory in her hair was a violet, instead of a rose.

The music stopped and Ursula and Brendan walked in the direction of backstage. I quickly moved away and May followed.

Ursula marched out first, completely ignoring May and I. Although as she went to talk to Electric Heart, I felt her cold glare on me. She smirked ever so slightly and headed off.

As Brendan went to follow her, May grabbed his arm. "You're with her?" she squeaked.

Brendan put a hand through his hair. "Yeah, she's a pain in the ass." he laughed, although he clearly wasn't amused.

"Why didn't you tell me though?" May asked.

"Hurry up!" Ursula yelled at Brendan, who didn't even flinch.

"I don't know...I guess it just didn't come to mind. Sorry May I have to go, I'll come see you later." Brendan smiled and May gave him a hug, which he gladly returned before running off after Ursula like an obedient little puppy.

"Since when did you two get so friendly?" I asked, giggling a little.

"We're just friends Dawn. Although there might be a possibility of a second date, he's a sweet guy." May giggled. She clearly knew what I was thinking.

"Hey!" Leaf came bounding over, with Misty trailing behind her. Leaf and Misty were similar outfits to mine, except Leaf's was the colour of a lush green forest, and Misty's was cerulean blue.

"We're ready." I smiled. The seven of us walked onto the stage and began to practice for tomorrow.

I'd begun to feel nervous already...

**Later that night...**

"You know, I feel strangely excited for the show tomorrow." Leaf grinned.

"The whole nation is going to be watching us prance around in our underwear. Can't wait." Misty rolled her eyes, sarcasm hanging off her every word.

"Well, just think about how cool you're gonna sound when you rap...like a _boss_!" Leaf grinned. We'd given Misty the part of the rap, and she seemed to do it well, thank goodness. I can't rap to save my life.

Misty sighed again. "Still not looking forward to it."

"Guys." I interrupted just as Leaf was about to speak. "I need to talk to Lucas."

"Sure. We'll leave, come on." May stood up, dragging Misty and Leaf out of the room with her.

After the door slammed shut, I felt strangely alone. I looked at the laptop in my hands and I started shaking.

I can't do it...

No! I thought, I have to do it.

I took a deep breath and opened the laptop.

This was the scariest thing I'd ever done, but it was the kindest thing to do after what I've put him through.

After a few deathly minutes of turning it on, texting Lucas to tell him to come on and then setting it up, this was it.

"Hey Dawn." he smiled a sweet smile, it felt like a knife was being stabbed through my heart. I wanted nothing more than to back out, tell Lucas how much I loved him and just forget about Paul.

But then I'd be living a lie.

"Lucas...I need to talk to you." The back of my throat was dry and my heart rate was ridiculously fast.

"We're talking now, aren't we?"

That smile again...I knew I couldn't string him along any further. It's not fair.

"I have a lot to tell you." my voice was shaky, but I blinked away the tears. This entire thing was my fault, I wasn't going to cry. Not now.

"What..." the colour drained from his face.

This was it. I took a breath of courage and told him everything. Including Ursula's blackmailing.

I looked at Lucas and he was a mix of emotions. His fists were clenched in anger and his eyes were filled with sorrow.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered, beginning to cry, although my tears were silent.

"I knew that girl was low, but blackmail..?" Lucas' voice began to crack. "Why would she make you cheat on me with another guy..?"

"Because she still loves you." I answered his question without hesitation. "She hated that you dumped her for me. She hates me." My vision was blurred, so I wiped my tears.

"Ursula still has feelings for me? Man... But that's not what I need to know Dawn."

"Then what do you need to know?" I asked.

"Do you love Paul?" he asked. All traces of anger had disappeared and all that was left was the broken shell of a man.

"Yes." My voice cracked as I nodded my head. His lips trembled, his eyes widened. I'd broken his heart.

"But I still love you!" he whispered, his eyes welling up with tears.

"You deserve better than me Lucas! I lied to you, cheated on you and you still love me? How is that even possible?" I asked, ignoring the tears now. They weren't going to stop falling, so why try to stem the flow.

"I can't let go. You were the first girl I ever really felt something for. The spark was there! When you told me about the bullying, you just looked so frail, so tortured. I knew from that day that it had to be you. I wanted to protect you, I wanted to hold you and tell you that everything was going to be okay..." Lucas was crying just as much as I was, this was killing him inside. I knew it.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't say that. You can't help who you fall for." he whispered. "If you date him, Paul better take damn good care of you, or he's got me to answer to." Lucas smiled, but his heart just wasn't in it.

"You're just letting me go?" I cried.

"I have to." he sighed, his cheeks stained with tears. "I love you, but the one thing I can't do is make you love me."

There was only one word to describe this situation. Heartbreaking.

"I wish we didn't have to end like this..." I whispered. "But why don't you hate me for cheating? Any other guy would..."

"You're human Dawn. We make mistakes and we're not perfect. That and...How could I ever hate you?"

I smiled through my tears. "Why do you have to be so sweet to me..? I don't deserve any of your kindness!"

"You do. You're worth more to me than any diamond or pearl."

I took a huge breath. My body was shaking horribly. "Really?"

"I mean it. Also, thank you Dawn."

"Thank you? For what..?" I questioned.

"For remembering what I told you." he smiled.

_"...But here's a tip Dawn. If you ever dump somebody in the future, don't ever do it by phone. It freakin' hurts."_

"Of course I remembered...how could I ever forget?" I smiled.

"That's my girl." Lucas' eyes widened when he spoke. "Sorry...I guess you're not mine anymore. Look, I have to go."

Tears began to fall again at the thought that he would be gone. "I'll miss you so much..." I whispered.

"It's going to hurt. But please, just promise me one thing."

"What?"

"Don't ever forget about me...about what we had." Lucas was an emotional wreck, and I couldn't blame him.

I'd put him through so much drama, so many lies...

"I'll never, ever forget about you." I cried.

He smiled, wiping away the tears. As he disconnected, I felt as if he'd been disconnected from my life.

Lucas was gone, Paul was gone.

I had no-one.

I turned off the laptop, buried my head in my hands and just cried.

Then, I longed for something else. Someone else.

I wanted Paul so, so badly. I wished he were here to hold me, kiss me, and tell his Troublesome that everything was going to be okay.

I wanted to tell him I'd changed my mind!

But he wasn't here to do those things. He was back in Sinnoh and I was here all alone.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: <strong>Wow, that was depressing :( Thought I'd dedicate a chapter towards Dawn and her past, since I didn't really go into much detail on it before.

She finally broke up with Lucas. Le creys, that was slightly upsetting to write...although it was necessary :)

On a brighter note, next chapter is the performance! Looking forward to writing that one. Also as a heads up, Amy is going to make her second appearance next chapter so get your pitchforks ready;)

Thanks for your opinions on my future story by the way, maybe I'll even post chapter 1 soon...

Review! :-)


	17. Chapter 17: Nothing Like Before

So I hit 200 reviews...wow. :D Thankyou guys so much, I really appreciate your all reviews!:-)

**Le repliessss.**

**Left-to-die **- I amaze you? Hehe that's funny, I'm nothing more than a girl who's trying to pass her exams and please all you people with her not-so-quick updates;') Wow, was it really that sad? I honestly didn't think it was XD Well, you'll have to wait and see what happens to my dearest OC;)

**SYKpop7 **- It was sad, but the breakup needed to be done for the greater good of ikarishipping. yup yup XD Aww you're welcome! You weren't that scary, trust me xD

**Fprmr1**- Oooh meow;') Something tells me you don't like Amy... Although I have no idea why, she's so sweet;) Hope you like the performance! :)~

**Missy**- Wish = granted;') There's quite a bit of Gary and Ash towards the end of the chapter, so I hope you like it. Lol, I love how you just assume Gary's turned emo from one sentence XD Yeah, guess Ursula is kinda stalker-ish now you mention it. Demon babies...how very accurate. Hmm I'm not sure what to do with Electric Heart just yet, we shall see;') Aww you shed a tear? Well my aim was make it emotional, hehe.

**pokemonSLR**- Ehe yeah:-) here it is!

**Kurono-Angel **- Ah you got the reference? I was wondering if someone would spot it, idk I thought it was cute...:') Oh what, you did..? Aww man, that's so sad:( I hope you're okay now though:-) Stay tuned for le ikari, it'll come with time:')

**LAPKat**- I was wondering where you went;') Wow...the last chapter made you cry? Awww *hugs* Thankyou so much, your review actually made my day :-)

**LittleMusicLover**- You demand me to stop writing sad chapters eh? Too bad, I adore writing sad chapters XD Although this one's not as bad as the last, so you don't have to worry about tearing up this time:') Maybe we shall see some ikari in the near future?;)

**GoldenGloryQueen**- it's funny, when I edited the last chapter back before posting it, I didn't really think it was all that sad XD I guess all you guys proved me wrong huh:')

**BittersweetSienna**- Aww thankyou! You're right, I've never seen a story based around the same concept as mine, hehe. The performance is in this chapter, so I hope you like it:-)

**citrasama **- Aw thankyou:') I'm glad you found it emotional because that's what I was aiming for:-) I have my ideas for more contestshippy moments soon, and I can't wait to write them down:D

**xRissychanx**- You're welcome:-) I'm glad you liked the last chapter, it was kinda heartbreaking to type, although it had to happen:')

**Kaurz9802 **- Aw you're welcome. Ohmigod, your best friend is called GARY OAK? Like seriously? That is so cool. Omg. With the chapter, I honestly didn't mean to make it so sad XD It just sorta happened, I guess that's what listening to sad music on repeat does to you. I also finished Mockingjay a couple of weeks ago too. IT WAS AMAZING. Just brilliant, I cried tons though:') Aw, I'm touched that you love my story:'D I can promise you now that I'm never giving up on this. I might take a while to update, especially now I've got vital exams and stuff, but I'll try. I don't even want to think about this story coming to an end just yet...*sniffles* I have a lot of tissues, and school hasn't killed me just yet;') much love:-)

**ReadyToRockAndRoll **- Yep, I thought making them break up this way would be more effective. Plus I love writing sad parts xD By the way, did your review cut off mid sentence or something? :)~

**Chi-Chiwawa **- Yup, that makes perfect sense because I totally agree with you! I've read so many stories on here with these four ships and everyone is continually happy throughout the chapters, their lives are perfect and I'm just like ugh! It's so boring like that, every story needs some drama and depression:D Hehe. To answer your question, I LOVE the Hunger Games. I also love my best friend for introducing me to the books last year;')

**14 May Rose **- I know right:( I'm not sure when or how to end this story yet, but I definitely will.

**LoveLoverGrl**- Thankyou!^_^

**Random Visitor Girl **- Gosh girl, you have a lot of questions there. I can't answer then now, cause it'll give the story away. But because everyone, including the boys are in this chapter maybe you'll get some of your answers?:D

**PuRpLeOcEAnRoSE0208 **- Aw thankyou^_^ I'm slightly over obsessed with one direction, so I had to include a song of theirs. I wrote this chapter listening to Moments on repeat, I was nearly crying XD Yep, more of the other ships will be included soon:-)

**aznpandagrl **- Aww yeah! I tried to make the last chapter emotional, so I hope it was good:-) It's a little sad without the boys right now, but I have some ideas up my sleeve that'll bring the couples together! I have a huge plan for contestshipping already. Ahaha, I can assure you that Gary is not emo XD Not sure where I'm going with the oldrival yet, it'll be here eventually!:')

**aquaswim897 **- Aww thankyou lovely:-) I love oldrivalshipping, it's one of my favourites. Pfft, even if I wanted to, I don't think I'd ever give up on this. I think I'd disappoint too many people:')

...

**Chapter 17: Nothing Like Before**

...

***May's POV***

"I hate this," Misty muttered as she stomped into the dressing room all made up for our performance. She had curled extensions in her hair and they hung gracefully past her shoulders. She wore a cerulean blue alice band in her hair, and she looked unbelievably pretty. All that was missing was her smile.

"Come on Misty, be happy!" I smiled a dazzling smile but she kept her disgruntled expression.

Tonight was the night. The time when Tiger Rose and Electric Heart will combine forces and sing together.

Or at least, that was the idea.

"I wish the boys were here, they always did know how to calm us down before our performance," Leaf sighed, twirling a lock of hair in her hand.

"What, all of them?" Misty asked, a glint in her eye.

Leaf glared at her. "Yes, all of them!"

Leaf had become rather touchy within the past few hours, and I knew why. Earlier, Dawn, Misty and I were comparing the letters we got from the boys. As Leaf didn't have one, she hung back and pretended to be engrossed in a chip in her nail.

I did see her look up at us every once in awhile, but she always darted her eyes back down when I caught her looking.

Honestly, I didn't understand. I thought Leaf would have been the first one to get a letter.

Unless Gary really had given up on her.

"Hey May, remember our deal?" Misty asked, grinning.

My cheeks reddened. The deal I made with Misty so she'd volunteer to rap. I was really hoping she'd have forgotten about that...

"Do I have to say it?" I whined.

"Yes you do," she giggled, looking slightly perkier.

"But it won't even make sense!"

"I don't care, it'll be funny."

"...I guess we made a deal." I shrugged. Truth was, I wasn't entirely bothered by it. It was just exchanging one word in my solo for another.

Maybe he won't even notice the difference.

As Misty headed out of the room, I noticed Dawn sitting on the couch. She wasn't upset as such, but she was vacant. Locked in her bubble, a whole other world of her own.

"Heya," I grinned, perching on the arm of the couch.

"Hey May," she smiled back.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

Dawn ran her fingers through her silky straight hair, smiling a little. "I'm okay, but..." she trailed off. "I just...really miss him."

"Really miss who?" I asked as I wasn't sure whether it was Paul or Lucas she was referring to.

"Paul." she spoke after a moments thought. She then nodded her head, as if to confirm it. "I really miss Paul..."

"You'll be okay Dawn, I promise." I grabbed her hand and she giggled slightly.

"I'll be fine, no need to worry May." she smiled brightly, but I knew she was faking it.

"Psh. You know I always worry about you. The others too." I smiled, shifting myself around so I could see the screen of the tv.

"Poor Brendan," Dawn giggled. Brendan and Ursula were performing their song, and Ursula had taken control of the entire performance. You could easily see that Brendan was annoyed with her.

"He'll be fine; at least he knows he'll get through this week. Ursula's got so many fans..." I rolled my eyes.

"If they knew what she was really like, I doubt she'd have any fans at all," Dawn shrugged.

"Hey Dawn, there's just one thing I don't understand about all of this."

Dawn and I turned around to see Leaf looking up at us. She'd been so quiet texting on her phone that I'd totally forgotten she was there.

"What?" Dawn asked.

"If Ursula blackmailed you, then surely you would have gone to Dexter or somebody to tell them about it? Why would you go and kiss Paul like she asked?" Leaf questioned.

"Because I was scared Leaf! I didn't know her reasoning behind the blackmail at the time. I honestly thought she was going to send that picture she took to the press," Dawn shifted uncomfortably and sighed.

There was an awkward silence for a small moment, until there was a brief knock on the door. I sprang up to go and answer.

As I opened the door, Brendan was standing on the outside.

"Hey..." he began to talk, but his jaw fell to the floor, his eyebrows raised as he raked in every inch of my outfit.

"Brendan, my eyes are up here." I giggled and he blushed, coming back to his senses.

"Sorry," he smiled a little sheepishly. "You look...stunning, May."

I felt a warm glow inside as I smiled. "It's only for the performance but still, I don't like this outfit." I sighed.

"Why not? You look great." he complimented.

"Thank you...but it's just not me." I felt a shiver and folded my arms across my chest. "By the way, you did a great job before. Working with Ursula probably isn't the easiest thing, huh."

Brendan rolled his eyes, irritated. "Ugh, don't even get me started on that girl. She definitely wants to win this thing, that's for sure."

"Hopefully that's not going to happen," I replied.

I caught myself looking into his odd coloured eyes. They were the colour of glistening rubies, the shade of love and passion.

They were also the shade of Drew's torn rose...

"Listen, can we talk later? I have to get ready." I asked.

"Sure thing. Later May." Brendan flashed a smiled and nodded his head before heading off. I couldn't help but smile after him.

"May!"

I jumped, turning around. Leaf and Dawn were looking at me amusedly. "Were you staring after him?" the brunette asked in a light, teasing voice.

"No..."

"May. You're a terrible liar." Dawn laughed.

"I can lie very well actually!" I huffed, moving out of the way to let Misty and Melody in the room.

"May? A good liar? Next joke please." Misty grinned. Melody began to laugh, her giggle was infectious.

"Anyway, it's showtime guys!" Melody clapped her hands excitedly. I instantly felt the nerves appear inside me, it was as if they were punching my gut.

"Come on May, everything will be fine." Dawn reassured me, picking up on my nervousness.

"I know I know...I always get super nervous before we go out on stage." I tried to relax as we headed out, finding Brianna and Veronica in the process.

We were given our microphones and at last we were given the thumbs up to go.

My legs instantly turned to jelly as the doors opened, and the music started.

...

**Veronica: **_  
>Where's all my soul sisters, lemme hear ya flow sisters!<em>

**Electric Heart:**_  
>Hey sister go sister soul sister flow sister x2<em>

**May: **_  
>He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge<br>Struttin' her stuff on the street  
>She said 'Hello, hey Drew, you wanna give it a go?'<em>

My face instantly flushed red. I wondered if he'd heard it...

**Melody:**_  
>Giutchie giutchie ya ya da da (yeah-eh)<br>Giutchie giutchie ya ya here (here)  
>Mocha choca latta ya ya (ooh yeah)<em>

**May:**_  
>Creole Lady Marmalade (oh woah oh)<em>

**Brianna:**  
><em>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi, ce soir? (oh ohh)<em>  
><em>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi?<em>

**Misty:**_  
>Yeah yeah yeah<em>

**Dawn:**_  
>He sat in her boudoir while she freshened up<br>Boy drank all that Magnolia wine  
>On her black satin sheets<br>Is where he started to freak yeah_

**Brianna**_:  
>Giutchie giutchie ya ya da da (da da)<br>Giutchie giutchie ya ya here (ooohh yeah)  
>Mocha choca latta ya ya (yeah yeah)<em>

**Dawn:**_  
>Creole Lady Marmalade<em>

**Veronica:**_  
>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi, ce soir? (ce soir)<br>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi? (oohhhh)_

Misty then bounded forward with all the energy she could muster, earning a huge roar from the crowd.

**Misty:**_  
>We come through with the money and the garter belts<br>Let em know we got that cake  
>Straight up the gate<br>We independent women some mistake us for whores_

**Misty + May:**_  
>I'm sayin' why spend mine, when I can spend yours!<em>

**Misty:**_  
>Disagree? Well that's you and I'm sorry<br>I'ma keep playin' these cats out like Atari  
>High heeled shoes gettin' love from the dudes<br>Seven bad ass chicks from the Moulin Rouge!_

**Melody:**_  
>Hey sister soul sisters<br>Better get that dough sisters!_

**M****isty:**_  
>We drink wine with diamonds in the glass<br>By the case, the meaning of expensive taste  
>You wanna Giuchie Giuchie ya ya<br>__**  
>May:<strong>__  
>Mocha chocha latta (what)<em>

**Misty:**_  
>Creole Lady Marmalade<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>One more time come on now<em>

**Dawn:**_  
>Marmalade (ooh)<br>Lady Marmalade (ooh yeah)  
>Marmalade (Ohhhhhh)<em>

**Leaf:**_  
>Hey hey hey!<br>The touch of her skin feeling silky smooth  
>The colour of cafe au lait (all right)<br>Made the savage beast inside roar until he cried_

**Melody:**_  
>More (more) more (more) more<em>

**Veronica:**_  
>Now he's back home doin' 9-5<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>Livin a gray flannel life<em>

**Leaf:**_  
>But when he turns off to sleep, memories creep<em>

**Melody:**_  
>More (more) more (more) more<em>

**Veronica:**_  
>Giutchie giutchie ya ya da da (da da)<br>Giutchie giutchie ya ya here (ooohh yeah)  
>Mocha choca latta ya ya (yeah yeah)<em>

**Leaf:**_  
>Creole Lady Marmalade<em>

**Melody:**_  
>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi, ce soir?<br>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi?_

**May:**_  
>All my sisters, yeah!<em>

**Melody:**_  
>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi, ce soir?<br>Voulez-vous Coucher avec moi?_

We all came back together, and Brianna headed over to the far right.

**Brianna:**_  
>Leaf.<br>__**  
><strong>_**Leaf:**_  
>Moulin-oh!<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>Dawn.<em>

**Dawn:**_  
>Lady, Marmalade!<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>Misty.<em>

**Misty: **_  
>Hey, hey, oh oh oh oh<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>May.<em>

**May:**_  
>Oh oh oh, woah oh<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>Veronica.<em>

**Veronica:**_  
>Ba-bay<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>Melody.<em>

**Melody:**_  
>Oh-ooh!<em>

**Brianna:**_  
>It's Brianna here.<em>

**All:**_  
>Creole Lady Marmalade!<br>Oh oh  
>Ooooh yes-ah<em>

The music faded, all of us came together and for the first time, I just looked at the crowds who were applauding us like crazy.

I knew from then on that I belonged on this stage, and Misty, Leaf and Dawn had become such important people in my life...this meant more to me than anything...

* * *

><p><strong>—Normal POV—<strong>

_Earlier on..._

**Hoenn**

As he leaned across to swipe the remote off the floor, Drew felt a sudden twinge of disappointment jolt through his body. He thought back, this time last week he would have been getting ready for his performance with Ash, Gary and Paul.

Seven days later however, he was home alone as his mother and little sister were out for the evening, slumped on the couch in his sweatpants.

He really didn't want to watch SingOff, but he was curious to know what Tiger Rose and Electric Heart were going to sing. Although he'd been keeping in touch with May more or less all week, she refused to tell him what they were singing.

His curiosity piqued as the show began.

The front door swung open. Drew quickly darted his eyes in that direction, but he broke out into a smile once he realised who was there.

Mike and Emmy, two of his best friends. Trust them to just walk into his house like they lived there.

"What are you guys doing here?" Drew asked, running a hand through his hair.

The two of them walked towards him, a little damp from the rain outside.

"Dude, don't even tell me you were going to sit in and watch this by yourself," Mike smirked.

"Maybe I was," Drew shrugged.

"You're watching SingOff? Make some room Andrew!" Emmy glanced at the tv and leapt on the couch, making herself comfortable.

"Sure thing, _Emily_." Drew rolled his eyes at the honey blonde girl for using his full name. He hated it.

"I told you not to call me that! The name Emily is so ew, Emmy's way cuter." she glared at him.

Mike sat down on the other sofa, looking at Drew with interest.

"So, pretty boy. Spill," Mike grinned. Drew rolled his eyes at the nickname. It was one that Mike had given him years ago when they first met and somehow, the name stuck.

"There's nothing to spill," he murmured, feeling his face heat up.

"You always were a bad liar Drew. That thing in the magazine Emmy showed me, what the hell was that all about?" Mike asked, an amused look on his face.

Drew flushed even more. He'd already had this conversation with his mother, who'd spotted the article earlier this week. It was definitely an awkward conversation for Drew.

"I don't know what you mean." he kept his eyes locked down as he knew Emmy was grinning at him. He never could take that girl seriously.

"You and May Maple from Tiger Rose, duh! Are you two dating?" Emmy asked, her voice bright.

"No we aren't," Drew replied after a moment's hesitation.

Emmy's face fell, she looked disappointed. Even Mike was surprised.

"Really? I thought you and her would make a really cute couple..." she twirled a lock of hair around her finger.

Drew never got a chance to reply however, as the one thing he'd been anticipating for all week finally came onto his tv screen.

He was caught completely off guard.

As the seven girls walked out on stage, there was one particular brunette that Drew found himself staring at.

Her outfit. On any other girl, it probably would've looked slutty, but on May, the corset fit her body shape perfectly and she wore it with grace.

Was this beautiful woman really the cute, guitar-loving girl he'd first met on the way to Ever Grande city?

Far from it. She was posing confidently, a hand on her hip. Her hair was perfectly straight, gliding past her shoulders like a chocolate coated waterfall. Her eyes were sparkling with nervousness, yet excitement...and that body.

There was only one word for this. _Damn._

Drew was never the type to lust after a girl; it was usually the girls lusting after him.

This time was different. May, she was different. As Drew tried to figure out what made her unique from everybody else, his thoughts were interrupted by Emmy.

"Wow, they're so hot. I would totally turn lesbian for all of them."

I looked at Mike and he rolled his eyes at her bluntness. It was nothing new, inappropriate was pretty much Emmy's middle name.

"Are you sure you're not already lesbian?" Mike teased, a grin on his face.

"Shut up Micheal, it's starting!" Emmy had her hazel eyes glued intently to the tv screen, so she didn't see Mike roll his own.

I noticed May had the first solo. As she came walking out to the front of the stage, she began to sing.

_He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge  
>Struttin' her stuff on the street<br>She said 'Hello, hey __**Drew**__, you wanna give it a go?'_

Drew's eyes widened. It wasn't because of her curve-hugging corset or her seductive voice this time; it was because she'd said Drew.

His name.

Did he imagine it?

"Oh my god! Drew, she just said Drew!" Emmy shrieked, clapping her hands like an excited child.

Nope, he did not imagine it.

"She's hot. I wish she'd say my name," Mike grinned and Drew found himself receiving a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach.

The world was watching...could every guy be ogling May the way Mike was right now?

Somehow, he hated the feeling.

What was he thinking? May wasn't his...unless he could summon the courage to make her his.

Could he do that?

"Stop staring Andrew, you'll catch flies," Emmy giggled.

Drew shook himself out of his trance and flushed red along with Emmy's laugh.

"You better be quiet Emily," he smirked back.

"May and Drew, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-"

"Do you want to die?" Drew yelled, throwing the tv remote at her. She caught it with ease.

"-I-N-G! First comes...uh...I forgot," Emmy shrugged.

Drew picked up the nearest cushion and buried his face in it to hide his embarrassment. Only Emmy would do this to him.

"Don't worry, I totally ship you guys," Drew heard Emmy's voice pipe up again, and Mike's howling laughter topped it all off.

"Ship?" he questioned.

"Fangirl term for supporting a romantic pairing," she replied almost automatically, her voice bright.

Emmy's teasing only made Drew realise. Whether he liked it or not he...had feelings for May.

Then somebody else's face popped up into his mind.

Brendan Birch, that son of a bitch.

He clenched his fists. He seemed nice enough but there was a bad vibe about him. Drew just didn't like the kid.

Drew's heart sunk at the possibility of Brendan taking May out on a second date, while he was stuck at home in LaRousse...

He couldn't let that happen.  
><strong><br>Sinnoh**

"Get that shit off the tv."

Reggie raised an eyebrow. "Paul, I thought you might want to watch it."

_Silence._

Reggie sighed uncomfortably over Paul's piercing stare. He peeled himself away from the sofa and grabbed his cup of coffee.

"Whatever. I'll be upstairs if you need me," he yawned, heading away.

The second Reggie had left, Paul found himself looking at the tv.

The minute he saw what was on it, his eyes never left the screen.

It was both Tiger Rose and Electric Heart on stage, although Paul wasn't taking note on any of them, he had his eyes locked on the blunette.

He didn't want to look at her. Hell, he wanted nothing more than to forget about Dawn Berlitz entirely.

But after what they'd been through, he knew that was impossible.

Her outfit wasn't helping either. Dawn wasn't wearing much at all, it definitely didn't leave much to the imagination.

He watched as the girl stepped forward. He was in awe of her every move, every pout, every flick of her midnight blue hair.

She was nothing like the flighty, giggly Dawn Berlitz who ran into him on their first day in the house.

As she began to sing her solo part, Paul became enraptured in her voice. It was as if she was casting a spell on him with her words, he was unable to move. He stood limp and lifeless like a mannequin, staring at the screen.

As Paul snapped out of his trance, he let himself sink down onto the sofa.

He thought back to the letter he wrote. How could he have just let her go like that? As he questioned his feelings further, Paul mentally kicked himself as he realised that he was trying to forget what he had with Dawn.

But it was hopeless. This girl was everywhere right now, her and Ursula Urara were Sinnoh's golden girls. Dawn Berlitz was the talk of the town, the talk of the entire region.

Not to mention the fact that her face was permanently etched into his mind, his soul.

Hell, he even _cried _over her.

His eyes widened as he realised his once non-existent emotions were overpowering him again.

What was happening to him?

He clenched his fist and punched the arm of the chair in pure frustration.

What did Dawn Berlitz have that was so special? He'd dated girls in the past, but they'd bored him. They were all exactly the same.

That's why he liked Dawn. His first impression of her wasn't excellent, but once he'd accidentally cracked the barriers around her, he realised she had a secret, seductive side to her personality.

After that, he couldn't get enough of her. Literally. Any chance he could, he would swoop in like an eagle to its prey and steal her for as long as possible.

A grin crept up onto his face as he thought back. Her soft lips, those eyes that reminded him of the ocean blue.

Mysterious, yet intriguing.

She was perfection in every way, yet it was all so wrong.

Dawn had Lucas on her conscience every time she even looked at Paul, let alone kissed him.

Her kisses...

Paul shook himself from yet another distraction. He sighed heavily, running both of his hands through his hair and making a noise that was nothing less than a grunt.

He wasn't sure if he'd ever truly get over Dawn. He couldn't imagine loving anybody else the way he loved her.

Love.

Paul thought; Could he possibly be in...love with her?

There was no doubt in his mind, the answer was clear.

**Kanto**

"Ugh...turn it over."

Gary Oak put his head in his hands as Ash changed the channel to watch SingOff.

"No way Gary. I want to watch Misty and other girls' performance."

The auburn haired boy groaned again, that was the exact reason he wanted the channel changed. He couldn't bear to sit there and watch Leaf on his tv screen, it would remind him of the rejection she gave him, the pain she caused him.

He'd never been rejected before...

Gary clenched his fists at the thought. "Ash! Give me that!" he demanded, leaping up to try and snatch the remote. Ash moved it swiftly away from Gary's grasp however, so that the only thing he touched was air.

"No! I'm watching it and that's final," Ash snapped. Then his expression softened. "Wait...why do you want to change the channel?"

_Silence.  
><em>  
>"It's Leaf, isn't it."<p>

He already knew.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gary muttered.

"Don't play dumb with me Gary. You won't watch SingOff because you don't want to see Leaf."

He'd hit the nail right on the head. Ash had got it right, which made Gary feel uneasy.

He thought back. Ash used to be so...dense. Childish. Stupid.

But Gary didn't mind. Those were the traits that made Ash, well...Ash. Being his closest male friend, Gary knew him better than most people.

But now, it was as if he didn't know him at all. Ash had grown up and his once strong friendship with Leaf had broken in two. Nothing was the same anymore, and he felt a sudden urge for the past. Life before that competition.

That _**stupid** _competition!

Slowly but surely, Gary felt as if he was beginning to understand Leaf's perspective on change. He'd pressured her, almost begged her to give him a chance, and all he did was drive her further and further away from him.

He'd lost his best friend, and the only goodbye given to the Leaf Green he once knew, were heartfelt words written on a piece of paper.

He could only pray that she'd read them...

A few minutes later, Professor Oak came strolling calmly out of the kitchen with a cup of coffee in his hand. Behind him came Rachel and Delia, Leaf and Ash's mothers respectively.

For the first time, Gary felt slightly uncomfortable sitting next to Rachel. Whenever he looked into her eyes, he didn't see her, he saw her daughter. Every single time.

Leaf was everywhere. Wherever Gary went, every person he spoke to, he saw her face. Her mother had strikingly similar facial features to her, and he couldn't even walk past the knotted old oak tree without seeing her beaming face peering out of the branches.

When he looked again, of course, she wasn't there. Instead, she was replaced with bundles of green leaves, rustling in the breeze.

There could have been a million leaves on that tree, but it wasn't the Leaf he was wishing for.

...

The sudden knock on the door made Gary spring to life. He pushed his feelings aside as he grasped his hand around the handle, swinging it open.

"Hi."

Gary smiled warmly at the brunette. "Hey Ames," he grinned, opening his arms to offer a hug which she gladly accepted. Amy had been trying to help Gary overcome the recent depression he'd been stuck in since coming home, and he'd been nothing but grateful. Amy had a busy life helping Professor Oak out at the lab, and yet she still managed to find the time for Gary.

"You mind if I stop by here for a little while? I wanted to see you." she smiled.

"Sure thing. Everyone's here so come in." he grinned, moving out of the way so she could pass through.

The two of them made their way to the living room. After everyone had greeted Amy, the two of them sat down together, just as the one thing Gary had been dreading to see had begun.

But it was okay. He had Amy by his side and even though she didn't know half of what was going on, Gary felt secure with her sitting next to him.

And that was when it happened.

As the seven beauties made their way onto the stage, Gary's mouth flew open in shock.

They were wearing next to nothing, yet they somehow managed to make themselves look classy, rather than trashy.

Even Veronica looked pretty enough, and Gary knew she was the definition of trashy.

But right in the middle of these girls, was possibly the prettiest sight Gary had ever seen.

Everyone was shocked. Amy had a glint in her eye, and he had no idea how to interpret her expression. Delia looked slightly surprised, while Rachel was beaming with pride for her girl.

Professor Oak just didn't know where to look.

As Gary set his eyes on Ash, he couldn't help but smile. The raven haired boy had the proudest look on his face, as if to say; _That's my girl, right there._

Ash absolutely adored her. Misty had no idea how lucky she really was.

As the girls collaborated together and sung their own solo parts, Misty suddenly stepped forward. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders like a mermaid, and she looked angelic, nothing like the Ginger he knew.

Then, he was instantly shocked again as Misty started to rap. Gary looked at Amy and she stopped peering at the screen and glanced at him instead. He felt his cheeks turn hot and he looked away quickly, a sheepish smile on his face. She giggled light-heartedly, and this made him flush even more.

Why was he blushing..?

Gary looked away to hide the redness of his face from Amy, and found himself facing Ash who was clearly enjoying Misty's rapping skills.

"That's my girl!" he declared proudly. Ash would tell the whole world about how much he adores Misty if he could.

Delia peered at Misty curiously. She couldn't understand how her son, as sweet as he was, managed to bag a pretty, powerful girl like her. Although she wasn't going to say anything about it, it was about time Ash grew up after all.

Sooner than Gary expected, Misty finished her rap and Leaf waltzed out into the spotlight, a hand on her hip and a beaming, yet sexy smile on her face...

Gary tried to shake all the inappropriate images out of his mind, but it was no use. Leaf was standing on that stage in nothing but green silky underwear, yet she looked so confident about the whole ordeal. The Leaf he knew would never have done this, not in a million years.

I guess people change.

As the brunette opened her mouth to sing, Gary was entranced. It was as if she'd cast a spell on him, he was wonderstruck.

Cool, calm, confident and sassy. That was Leaf's attitude right now and Gary couldn't get enough of it.

Although it pained him to realise that while he had his eyes locked on her beauty, she wasn't looking back at him as an individual. Millions of people would be looking at her, but she wasn't looking back at any of them, just smiling and looking gorgeous for the cameras.

Gary was the same as everybody else...

As tears unexpectedly shot to the brim of his eyes, but they couldn't have come at a better time.

Gary's sister Daisy skipped happily into the room, a huge grin on her face. She was so ecstatic, and Gary couldn't really blame her.

Daisy was getting married in just a few weeks. Gary smiled as he remembered the moment when her long term boyfriend proposed to her months ago. Daisy had been planning for her big day ever since, but she made sure it was exactly the date that she specifically chose.

He still didn't know why she wanted her wedding in this particular week.

"Hey Dais..." Gary muttered, without talking his eyes away from the tv screen. "Why did you specifically choose June 14th as your wedding date?"

Daisy turned to look at him, her eyes glittering with happiness. "Because of you, Gary."

The brunettes' eyebrows shot up in confusion. "What do you mean? It's your wedding, why did you choose the date because of me?"

"The competition you and Ash and little Leafy auditioned for," Daisy smiled, "You three auditioned for SingOff a month or so before Liam proposed, and I knew you guys could sing, and I just had a feeling you'd progress far in the competition."

Daisy glanced at the girls on the tv, they'd finished their song and were getting comments from the judges.

Gary was about to ask her exactly why that date was so important, until he remembered something vital, something that had slipped his mind.

After five weeks in the competition, all the contestants get to leave the house and return home for a week.

This week was the exact week in which Daisy had scheduled her wedding date. June 14th.

Gary grinned from ear to ear as he understood. No matter what happened to the three of them within the competition, Daisy cleverly arranged things so that Leaf, Ash and Gary would all be able to attend her wedding. They'd all make it.

"You really did think of everything, didn't you," he smiled.

"Of course, I couldn't have my little brother jeopardise his spot in the competition for my wedding, same with Ash and Leaf."

"Not that it really mattered. Ash and I are out," Gary sighed, remembering the jolt of pain in his body when it was announced that Midnight Run were going home. He missed Drew and Paul a lot, despite only knowing them for a short amount of time.

"I think you're forgetting someone," Daisy giggled and motioned to the television, where Leaf and the girls were heading off stage. Leaf waved cutely for the cameras and Gary had to stop himself from waving back, stupid as it sounded.

"I guess...at least Leaf won't miss it." He spoke, sounding downcast and upset.

Amy, who had been quiet for the last few minutes, picked up on this immediately.

"You sound like you don't want Leaf to come home..." she spoke slowly.

"I do, it's just...uh...nothing." the brunette stuttered. Why was it whenever he looked at Amy, he felt all tingly inside? Why did he blush and stutter unnecessarily?

"Oh okay." As Amy smiled and headed for the kitchen, Gary studied the back of her head intently, as if he was searching for something he just couldn't see.

Then it hit him.

Amy was adorned with chocolate coloured locks of hair, cat-like emerald green eyes and a slim, petite figure.

Looking at her from the back made him realise. The striking similarities.

Amy looked just like Leaf.

Just like Leaf...

An idea suddenly popped up into Gary's mind, and he knew there was one way he could maybe get Leaf to admit her feelings for him.

_Jealousy._

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: <strong>:O I know I say this like every chapter now but I'm sorry about the lack of update again! Things have been so crazy lately and they're going to get worse I'm afraid, I'll be lucky if I update anything next month. Sorry:')

Then, I was all ready to update this but then I read the Kanto part back again and I hated it, so I deleted all of that part and rewrote it XD I much prefer it now.

So how was it, did you like it? I brought of couple of OC's in for this one, and I loved writing for Emmy, because she's based off one of my friends:')

Reviews would be greatly appreciated right now, I'm so stressed out and I adore reading all the lovely things you people say:-)

:)~


	18. Chapter 18: Curiosity Killed The Cat

Replies to reviews:)

* * *

><p><strong>Kurono-Angel<strong>- Who knows eh;') Yeah, I thought that would be a good idea to separate the boys' part out so it didn't look like I was favouring any characters over others, hehe. Answering your question, it's a song from the film Moulin Rouge and it's called Lady Marmalade:-)

**GoldenGloryQueen**- Aha thankyou^_^ I'm trying to make Ash and Misty as adorable as ever, I love Pokeshipping!

**SYKpop7**- Thanks for Brianna, much appreciated;') omg we're so evil XD Yep yep, Amy is allllll yours. Lulz, I love Emmy too. It's nice to bring in a character that isn't jel of the other couples, you know?:D

And to your review in my other story: um...would it be bad if I said I hadn't even started the next chapter yet? :o omg I completely forgot about it...oops

**pocketmonsterz**- Haha, maybe you're right;')

**LoveLoverGrl**- Heh, I'm evil XD

**LittleMusicLover**- Happy (late-ish) birthday! Aww you're welcome, I'm glad you loved it^_^ I based Emmy's character around one of my crazy friends XD Wow, I changed your mind on Poke and Ikari? Awww I feel all special:3 Yeah, from the way some people portray Paul, you'd think he was a robot with no sense of emotion or feeling whatsoever, ugh. So I decided to change that:D

**Missy**- Here is the update! I can't have you dying on me now, can I?;') Ooooh if you're not liking Brendan right now then you aren't going to like this chapter..;') I think Paul with emotions is way cuter than Paul with non existent emotions, idek. The wedding shall come soon...although I don't have a clue how that's going to go. Aww thankyou :D idk I just felt that a chapter like that was needed, so you could see things from the boys' point of view for a change.

**Lil'MissEya**- it's okay don't worry about it! You're here now, so that's what counts :) ahahaha! There's so much hate for Amy, it's hilarious. Omg I think that too!:')

**Random Visitor Girl**- I simply adore Contestshipping. Adding that part was a last minute thing, it just kinda popped up in my mind xD

**xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx**- Thankyou so much^_^

**Left-to-die**- Gary is stupid. That's the beauty of it, he's becoming kinda desperate so he's trying a new approach to winning Leaf's heart. I don't even know what to do with it yet...I'll think about it:')

**PuRpLeOcEAnRoSE0208**- Ehe nope, Emmy's based on one of my best friends...although we are kind of similar in personality. Omg that's a relief, I'm glad the guys were done right, last thing I wanted was for them to be OOC or anything like that. Yeah, Gary's evil XD Brendan and Amy eh? I'll think about it...hm. Thankyou :-)

**Fprmr1 **- That beautiful irish boy...omg. Don't even get me started on One Direction because I won't be able to stopXD I'm considering bringing the boys back on the show or doing something to bring them closer to the girls...but I have yet to figure out what. I'll try though. Awh thankyou:3 I'm just glad you loved the chapter!  
><strong><br>citrasama**-Don't worry about it, I'm just as bad as you at reviewing late, I have issues with time management xD

**Happyc **- oh hello again, it's okay don't worry about it:-) Omg I'm with you there, moths are the worst. Evil little flying creatures. Hehe i'll say it with ya, GAW JUS. (Even though I didn't think it was THAT good) hehehe we all love Contestshipping!

**MudkipLover33**- hehe I know right. Awh thankyou!^_^

**Gloss Gurl**- Thanks for reviewing those chapters! ^_^

**LAPKat**- Thanks!^_^ I just couldn't resist adding elements of the fandom in, ahaha:D May saying Drew's name was a total last minute decision, it popped into my head when I was listening to the song XD

**aznpandagrl**- omg that was funny XD

**Kaurz9802** - Thankyouuu:3 You're too damn sweet, I swear:') Believe me, I was so tempted to make them go drool over the girls, but I thought it would be better to give the guys a little something to think about instead XD hmmmm I think my favourite book was Catching Fire. My decision didn't have ANYTHING to do with Finnick Odair nope not at all;-) thankyou! But I'm still so nervous because these exams are really inportant:S omg. Oh I definitely will. Writing this fic has been the best thing ever, but I guess all good things must come to an end...not that we're near the end or anything just yet:D

**anonymoushoot **- omgXD da hell did you get a glass of radioactive nuclear waste from?;')

**ReadytoRockandRoll **- Drew is just so sweet. Adventure time with Paul? omg that's hilarious, this needs to happen ok. Actually you've given me an idea...

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><p><strong>Disclaimer -<strong>I don't own anything except the OCs guise...even though most of them aren't even in this chapter...

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><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 18: Curiosity Killed The Cat**

**...**

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><p><strong>*May's POV*<strong>

"Are you actually going to go out on stage wearing that?"

My eyes darted to Dawn, who was peering at me and my white hoodie with interest. It wasn't long at all until we had to walk back out onto that stage and discover our fate for this week. I still wasn't used to it, I always quivered when the time came.

"Of course I am," I smiled, "It's my favourite piece of clothing."

And that it was. Ever since Drew had left it for me, I'd hardly taken it off. The warmness of it reminded me of him and his kindness.

Although these days, most things reminded me of Drew.

"By the way, do you think Brendan's gonna ask you out on a date again?" Melody asked, smiling. Her eyes shone and she seemed to be happy.

"I'm not sure...anyway, it's not really that much of a date Melody, we'd just hang out like last time." I felt a blush creep up on my cheeks; I knew that was a sort-of lie.

"Are you sure about that?" Dawn giggled.

"Certain of it." I glared at Dawn, who in turn just giggled. Ever since her breakup with Lucas, it was as if a huge weight had been taken off her shoulders. She wasn't 100% over him yet, but these things take time.

Before I could say anything else, Misty came stomping into the room, slamming the door behind her. The look on her face was extraordinarily angry, Misty was known to have her moments but this was something else.

"What's up?" Leaf asked, quickly sensing her anger.

"I can't believe this..." Misty's voice was surprisingly quiet. "My sisters just called."

"Saying what?" Dawn tilted her head to one side and yawned.

"They told me that SingOff asked and paid them to perform on the show in a few weeks, and they agreed to it."

I had to physically stop myself from asking the question everyone else was wondering. Why was having her sisters as the celebrity performance such a big deal?

"Why is that a bad thing? The Sensational Sisters are little too pop-ish for me, but they have a lot of fans. It only makes sense that they promote their new song on the biggest show on tv." Leaf shrugged. She stood up and headed over; perching on the arm of the chair Misty had just slumped on.

"I know..." the redhead sighed, defeated.

What could Misty possibly have against her sisters?

This was a question I considered asking, but the thought left my mind as soon as Brianna popped her head around the door and told us that we had to be on stage.

The nerves came washing over me again, and my legs turned to jelly in the process.

If we don't make it through tonight...I don't even want to think about it.

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><p>"The final pair to advance to the next round is...Tiger Rose and Electric Heart!"<p>

My body flushed with instant relief. We were so, so close to having to sing again, but we made it at the last second. After hugging each other, and the two pairs with the lowest number of votes, we scampered backstage.

Before the boys left, they'd usually be backstage to congratulate us, but this time there was nobody there.

Of course, I wasn't expecting Drew and everyone to be there...but that little part of me still pined to see them standing there, arms out to congratulate us.

Besides Paul of course, but he never was the hugging type.

The other girls, excluding Melody, Veronica and Brianna, looked the same way. It was as if they were thinking the same thoughts as me.

"Let's...just get out of here," Leaf muttered, her eyes shifting uneasily to the ground.

She began to walk away with the others. I started following her lead, until I felt a brisk tap on my shoulder.

I stopped walking and whirled around, jumping out of my skin as I let out a small yelp.

"Brendan, you scared me!" I whined. He just smiled.

"Sorry May, I didn't mean to," he replied.

I giggled. "I forgive you Birchy. Now are you coming?"

"Birchy?" Brendan smirked amusedly, "That's such a bad nickname."

I pouted, matching his tone. "Aw, it's cute though. Agree with me!"

"I'll agree with you if you let me take you out to dinner tomorrow," he smiled, his eyes carefully pleading with my own.

How could I possibly say no to that?

After saying yes to his offer, he left to go back with some of the others while I caught up to the girls. They looked at me and giggled.

"What?" I asked as they grinned patronisingly at me.

"You and Brendan! What is going on between you two?" Dawn asked, her eyes sparkling.

I blushed furiously, "Nothing..." I lied.

I noticed Brianna looking at me with interest as we stepped into the car. Although the others seemed to be okay with her, we were still on shaky terms with one another, after everything that occurred with Drew.

Drew...

I missed him so much, and communicating over text or video call just wasn't enough.

When I accepted Brendan's offer of a second 'date', as happy as I was, an image of Drew was just stuck at the back of my mind.

Why? Why did Drew have such power, such a major effect on my life? It was as if I couldn't even talk to Brendan without feeling like I was betraying Drew, and vice versa. It was ridiculous.

I shook my head furiously, losing my thoughts. Brendan. Drew. Brendan. Drew. I just couldn't understand why it was hard to choose between them.

Or...maybe I shouldn't choose either of them.

My phone buzzed from inside my pocket, and I felt myself yelp slightly out of shock.

Ignoring the sniggers from the others, I took out my phone and opened the message.

_**Good job out there Maple, I knew you could work with those bitches and still pull it off;) Still rooting for you...x -Drew  
><strong>_  
>"May. You look lost." I felt Misty's stare on me, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.<p>

"I'm fine!" I replied quickly, feeling hot and flustered.

Stupid trances. I always pull the worst facial expressions...

"I think little May is having some boy troubles!" Dawn teased.

Rather than being irritated, I was surprised. How could Dawn have figured it out in the first place?

Am I really that predictable?

Instead of admitting that she was right, I just pulled a face and refused to answer.

"Guys...lay off her," Brianna smiled oddly. It was more of a smirk. "I mean, who doesn't want two boys fighting over her? Especially when she already st..._mff!_"

Brianna's muffled protest came after Veronica slapped her palm over her friends' mouth, shutting her up.

I glanced at Misty, who narrowed her eyes suspiciously at the girls sitting near her. Veronica sat silently, her eyes cast to the window. Brianna looked away, embarrassed. Meanwhile, Melody just rolled her eyes at both of them and continued her conversation with Leaf.

But none of that mattered, their body language proved nothing. Just what was Brianna going to say?

Then it dawned on me that the strawberry blonde probably disliked me much, much more than she'd been letting on...

I said nothing, and simply averted my eyes away from Brianna's uncomfortable gaze.

This was already turning into the longest car journey of my life...

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><p><strong>^Leaf's POV^<strong>

_**The next evening...**_

The house was so quiet. Jimmy and Marina were eliminated from the show last night, bringing the total number of contestants in the house to twelve. Seven of them had gone, including the boys.

But was this a good thing? I had no idea. As much as I despised the way things turned out, I couldn't deny that I wanted Gary to stay in the house a little while longer.

The question is why? Why would I want him to stick around? Gary wouldn't leave me alone, confessing and telling me he loved me, and that he always did love me.

He even stole the thing that I wanted to save for the perfect moment; my first kiss.

We were both six, and he took it from me. Just like that. It was a memory I'd been trying to forget, but now I knew it was impossible.

I thought back again, although not as far this time. To a little longer than a week ago when Gary Oak had the cheek to try and kiss me again, knowing full well how I would react to it.

My heart fluttered as I thought about it...but why did his lips seem so appealing to me right now?

No...This can't happen. Not after everything we've been through.

Mental images hit me like a ton of bricks. Pointless memories came to mind, events involving Gary and I.

He always had been a huge part of my life...it was as if the other half of my body had been cruelly torn away, leaving me unable to function properly.

As stupid as it sounded, it was true.

The memory of Gary's second kiss hit me again. I was so tempted to kiss him back...but something stopped me from doing it. That something also pushed him away, and thus lifted up my hand to connect with his cheek.

I knocked the wind out of the guy, just for trying to change my mind.

How on earth was I going to be a bridesmaid at Daisy's wedding in just a few weeks, and have to spend the whole day around Gary? I couldn't just not go, Daisy was the only girl who truly understood me when I was younger, she acted like the older sister I always wanted. We were surprisingly close.

And maybe I wanted to see Gary again...just to see what he'd do.

Something else which came to mind was the memory of waking up next to him in the hotel, the day before we reached the house here in Ever Grande.

The room was like an iceberg because we forgot to close the window. I also remembered that Gary was pissed at me for a reason I still had no idea of, even now.

I smiled as I thought back. I'd been pestering him for a hug to warm myself up, but he refused. That very next morning, I woke up to find myself snuggled next to him, my head lolling against his shoulder and my hand on his chest.

It was crazy to think that all of this had happened about a month ago. I'd changed so much. With Ash and Gary, I'd been so carefree and happy-go-lucky.

Now I was sitting here alone in our room, upset and having to face the fact that; this time last month, I had my best friend by my side. Now he was gone.

Unless...Gary was never supposed to be my best friend. Perhaps he was always going to be more than that, but I just couldn't see it.

Maybe I should have let him kiss me the other week, and perhaps I might have kissed him back. Maybe I should have dealt with the fact that he loved me in a more mature way, instead of locking myself away in my room until it was too late.

Because anything is better than this.

"Leaf?"

I turned around to see Dawn open the door. She turned on the lamp, as I'd been sitting in the dark.

"What's wrong..?" she asked, although I already knew that she had an idea of the answer.

"I have a lot of...regret for the way I've handled things lately," I looked down, blinking away tears.

"You're not yourself," Dawn commented as she sat down in front of me on the bed, "Oh Leaf..."

"I just don't understand...Dawn please tell me. Why was it so easy for you to fall into Paul's arms, just like that? Were you not scared?"

Dawn took hold of my hands and squeezed them gently.

"It wasn't easy at all, I was so scared. When Ursula made me go to Paul, I was shaking like crazy. I remember walking in, and he was lying on his bed. He sat up...and then I just kissed him," Dawn looked down, embarrassed. "I mean what else could I do? I expected to just go in, kiss him and then run out of there."

"But that didn't happen, did it?" I found myself smiling.

"Did it hell. Paul grabbed me when I tried to run off and pinned me against the wall so I couldn't leave. His eyes were begging for more...and then you guys came along."

My mouth opened. "Oh yeah!" I laughed. "Us three were looking for you."

"Yes you were. Paul yelled at you to get lost, so we could carry on, but you came in anyway..." Dawn found herself smiling.

"But wait...where did you go? We never saw you." I asked, trying to piece everything together.

"He uh...threw me in the closet," Dawn blushed.

"Oh. So that was why he was guarding the closet like his life depended on it." I looked at Dawn and we both burst into a fit of giggles over nothing.

"Yeah. I left after that, but my thing with Paul didn't end. Not at all."

"Explains why you always disappeared..." I commented.

"Yeah," she replied. There was a small silence between us both for a few moments - she was undoubtedly thinking about Paul.

"So do you understand? In life, sometimes you've just got to go with the flow Leafy. I know I'm hardly the best example, but maybe you should have gone with your heart and said yes to Gary, if that was what you wanted," Dawn moved closer and wrapped her arms around me.

"That's just it Dawn, I don't know what I want," I sighed. "And with me being here and Gary back in home in Pallet Town, I can't talk to him in person."

Dawn smiled. "You'll figure it out. We all go home for a week soon enough, you can talk to him then right?"

"But there's a lot happening...it's Gary's sisters wedding. What if there's not enough time?"

"Then make time," the blunette spoke. A few moments later, Dawn's phone rang. She picked it up and just stared at it.

I smiled as I looked at the screen, Paul was calling her.

"Well? Aren't you going to answer it?" I giggled.

"Oh...yeah. Sorry Leaf, I gotta take this!"

"No problem," I waved as she answered the phone and walked out of the room.

I thought about our conversation just now. Dawn was right, I had to stop playing it safe and just go with whatever life brings.

I had to trust my fate.

* * *

><p>"Hi guys!" May smiled excitedly as she stood at the living room door. Brendan was stood behind her, as they'd just come back together from their date, or whatever else May tried to call it.<p>

I was sitting with Misty, Solidad and Melody in the front room. As I looked at Brendan's smug grin, I just felt uneasy.

I decided that I didn't like the guy after May, Drew and I caught him in a shady sounding conversation with Brianna and Veronica not too long ago.

May might have forgotten about that, but I haven't.

"Hiya," we all replied back.

"So, did you have a good time?" I asked in the sweetest voice, but I kept my glare fixed on Brendan. He looked away, conscious of my expression.

May was clearly oblivious to the whole thing; she was stuck on cloud nine. Her sapphire eyes were almost radiating happiness, and the smile on her face proved it.

"Yeah, it was great," May replied, looking dreamily at Brendan with a smile.

I wasn't sure what was happening. I was positively certain that May had a thing for Drew, but is she dating Brendan now? I wasn't sure. The two of them sure looked cosy together. When he sat down on the sofa, he beckoned for May to sit by his side and he put his arm around her waist.

"Did we miss anything here?" Brendan asked.

"Nope," I spoke immediately. What transpired here was none of his business anyway.

"I called Ash this evening...but that was it really," Misty spoke. Although she tried to shrug it off as no big deal, I could tell that she was missing Ash a lot. She seemed a little less relaxed than she usually was, and she looked vacant.

Misty was so lucky to have a caring, genuinely nice guy like Ash Ketchum. I knew the boy better than most, and I knew he had a heart of pure gold.

He wasn't clingy, nor was he desperate. He was just always there for the people in his life.

He's also kinda cute, but not really my type at all.

A question popped up in my mind: What is my type? I still wasn't sure.

After about half an hour, Solidad turned off the tv and yawned meekly, heading out of the room. Misty and Melody followed her, most likely heading for their own beds.

As I headed into the kitchen for some water, I heard a few snippets of Brendan and May's conversation. Interested, I edged closer to the room and listened hard.

"I had a great night, you know," Brendan grinned, taking a hold of May's hand.

And she let him too.

"Me too. You're so sweet..." she giggled.

"I'm not half as sweet as you are, you little cutie," Brendan teased and she laughed lightly.

"I'm cute?" she batted her eyelids and pouted her lips slightly.

I rolled my eyes. This whole 'cute, couple love' thing between these two was seriously grating on me.

"The cutest," Brendan declared as he kissed her on the lips, a kiss that she returned, but with hesitance.

I couldn't watch any more of that, it just didn't seem right. I was sure, I was absolutely certain that May was crushing on Drew...I mean she was wearing his damn hoodie for goodness sake!

I peered around again and they'd gone, thank the lord. I grabbed my glass of water and headed for the stairs, but I nearly stood on something lying in the hallway.

It was a small, orange notebook. I had no idea who it belonged to, but I opened it anyway.

My eyes widened as I realised. This was no ordinary notebook, filled with mindless drawings or scribbles.

No, this was something else. There was a lot of writing that I couldn't make out, but there was one thing I knew for sure.

The author of this notebook was a serious stalker.

It was covered with times and dates, saying exactly what this one person did, each and every day of being in this house.

This person...I let of a gasp of shock as I realised who it was.

It was May. This entire book was filled with pages and pages of her schedule and daily routine, what she would be doing and where she would be on certain days.

But it wasn't until I turned to the back of the book, that I got a real surprise.

It was stuffed full of photos. I took them out and laid them on the floor. There were pictures of...us. All of us.

There were intimate images of Dawn and Paul together...they were all over each other. They obviously thought they were hidden.

Ash and Misty. There were pictures of those two locked in embraces and kisses - the same pictures that were featured in Solidad's magazine.

May and Drew. There were a lot of pictures for these two, a few I recognised from the magazine.

They were together on a boat in one image, and there were a lot of them hugging; Drew kissing May on the cheek on the day the boys left; and there was one of May that I'd never seen before.

It was the moment in which she must have found Drew's letter.

There were pictures of everyone. Jimmy and Marina having a moment, Solidad crying over something or another, Melody's pure jealousy of Misty just a few weeks ago. There were pictures of everyone.

That was when I noticed them.

There were pictures of me. I took various ones and stared. On a lot of them, Gary and I were hugging, back when we were still friends. There was another, taken on the day I was provoked by Veronica and Gary ended up grabbing me so I wouldn't rip her pretty little face off.

There was another one which knocked me for six. This mystery photographer had managed to get a picture of Gary kissing me.

I stared at it, and I just didn't know what to make of it.

Seeing this from another perspective...I couldn't deny that Gary and I looked really, really good together.

Instead of putting it back into the notebook, like with the others, I slipped it into the inside pocket of my jacket.

This was one that I wanted to keep.

"You know what they say Leaf...curiosity killed the cat."

"Huh?" My heart raced as I looked slowly upwards.

Brendan. He was stood over me, eyes locked on the book in my hands.

"I...can't say I've ever heard that saying before," I whispered, looking at him.

Why was he here...

"I should have thought as much. Basically, it means that inquisitiveness can lead a girl like you into a very dangerous situation." His voice suddenly turned cold.

I looked to and fro from the book I was holding, to Brendan's piercing stare, finally putting two and two together. "You...this is yours," I whispered.

"Damn straight. Now give it to me."

He held out his hand. I gripped the book tighter as I stood up, backing away from him.

"Not until you tell me what the hell this is." My heart was thumping right now. I was so scared, but I refused to show it.

"I'm not going to do that. Give me the book Leaf, or I'll do something I know I'll regret!" Brendan was getting extremely agitated.

"Why have you been stalking May?" I avoided his demands for the second time.

His red eyes had never looked scarier.

"I...suppose I could tell you. I've got nothing to lose," he spoke coldly. "I've kept tabs on May and gave her so much attention, simply because she was the easiest."

"What?" I scrunched my nose up in confusion.

"The easiest to manipulate. Gullible as hell," he chuckled at my darkened expression. "You could tell that girl anything and she'd believe you. Incidentally, she's the kind of person who can't lie very well. That's right Leaf, she's told me everything."

My stomach churned. "You used her!" I snarled.

"Whatever. I needed a good source of information, and I definitely got more than I bargained for with her. You know, I know more about you than you might think, Leaf."

I clutched the book tighter.

"Why Brendan? Why go to all this trouble..." I asked.

"Money, obviously. I work for the press, and a few months before the auditions, my bosses found out I could sing. They devised a plan for me to audition for the show, this very plan you just so happen to be a part of now."

"You could have just said no..." I muttered, shocked at this revelation.

Brendan was behind this mystery with the pictures after all...

"Why would I want to do that? They're paying me triple for doing this, they get their pictures and I get to flirt with a hot chick and take her out on dates. What more could a guy possibly want?" he smirked.

"You're a nasty piece of work," I glared at him. "I'm going to tell May everything and you can't stop me!"

I tried to run but he grabbed my arm. I found myself shifting backwards until I found the sofa.

"As if she'd believe you. That girl is head over heels for me and you know it, she would never believe that I was working for the press. Too unlikely in that Airhead's brain," Brendan towered in front of me, in case I decided to run again.

"I can show her this," I pointed to the book in my hand.

Brendan started to talk again, and I made an impulsive decision to try and run while he was mid speech, catching him off guard.

I was so close, touching the handle of the door.

That was, until I felt a pair of sly, cold arms wrap around my waist and violently pull me back.

I fought and clawed, but he just held me tighter. I tried to yell out for somebody, anybody, but he slapped his hand over my mouth to shut me up.

"Get off me!" I tried to wriggle out of his grasp but his strength was overpowering.

He took away his hand for a moment and leaned closer. I felt his hot breath against my ear and shuddered. "Give me the book now, you little bitch."

"Go to hell!" I spat, using every ounce of willpower I could muster.

I didn't understand, I had no strength right now; he could so easily take the book for himself and just go.

Unless he wanted me to hand him the book personally.

"Aren't you a feisty one?" he simply muttered into my ear. I growled back in response. He loosened his grip slightly, but not enough to break free of his hold.

Then, he did something that caught me off guard completely.

He turned me around and smirked nastily before kissing my lips.

It was only quick, only swift, but I still let out a small yelp, frozen in fear.

As I tried to push him away, one of the pictures fell from the book and fluttered to the ground.

"My bad Leaf, did that kiss scare you?" he asked in the most patronising voice as he held me closer.

He knew. Brendan knew that I was afraid.

I cast my eyes down to the picture on the floor.

"You...how did you get this?" I whispered. It was a picture of Gary and I sleeping in the same bed together, the day before we came to the house.

It was so close up; he must have found a way into the room...

"Why so alarmed? You didn't have sex with that pretty boy, did you Leaf?" he taunted me again.

I nearly exploded. "I didn't do anything with him that night and you know it Brendan!"

"Chill, Leaf. No need to get defensive, I was just kidding around. We all know that you're too scared to even kiss a guy, let alone do anything more. I just proved that fact," he smirked.

He continued with his harsh, taunting words, whispering them into my ear as I tried to wriggle out of his grasp. He was so strong, I just couldn't do it.

"Just...just take it, okay?" I cried. Tears began to form at the brim of my eyes, but I blinked them away. He wasn't going to see me cry.

Brendan finally released me and I found myself leaning against the wall in shock over everything that just happened.

I didn't try to run again, as I knew he'd just trap me in his arms and force me to hand the book over. I wasn't going to win.

He held out his hand for the book and I just threw it at him in fury, watching as all the pictures flew out.

I didn't even spare a passing glance before I opened the living room door and ran up the stairs two at a time.

I so desperately wanted to tell May everything but...that smarmy bastard was right.

He had the poor girl wrapped around his little finger, May wouldn't believe anything I told her if it concerned Brendan in a bad light.

I had no proof of anything he just told me, and since I had no choice but to give the notebook back, I had nothing.

I didn't want to go into the bedroom yet, so I ended up slumping on the floor outside of the door.

The recent events replayed back in my mind. Finding the notebook, the realisation that Brendan was behind the mystery of these pictures and that stupid, meaningless kiss...

It was nothing like Gary's touch. His lips, as much as I repulsed them at the time, were soft and gentle. He wanted me. Brendan, on the other hand, just smashed his lips against my own, with no feeling at all.

And he did it simply because he could. He wanted to mess with my head. He wanted to let me know that he knew all my secrets, and that he wasn't afraid to use them against me.

As I continued to think, something Brendan said to me when he slipped into the room stood out...

_Curiosity killed the cat_

It stood out because it was true. I was the innocent cat...and my damn curiosity about that notebook just screwed things up even more.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note: <strong>Phew. I got so much inspiration for this chapter, thank goodness:-)

Anybody remember the notebook? It was featured in another chapter although only very briefly. Cyber cookies to you if you noticed XD

Now I could go on about Brendan and OMG and PLOT TWIST and OMG and everything but I cba. Instead, here are some wise words from the twitter of Josh Hutcherson.

_"haters are gonna hate - but I loved battleship. boom. I've never been so stoked watching a movie."_

Isn't he just fabulous?;')

Ok. I'm freaking out because I have two majorly important exams next week, so right now its allllll revision. I'll start on chapter 19 next weekend, after they're over:-)

One last thing. Anyone ever seen Hunger Games The Musical on Youtube? If not, you need to see it. I already guarantee it will be the best five-ish minutes of your life ok

Reviews make me happy, just like the thought of one direction holding hands and skipping through a flowery meadow. Just saying.

_x-ST-x_


	19. Chapter 19: Seeing Really Is Believing

I haven't updated in forever...heh. -hides-

So I heard that a lot of you want more Contestshipping? Well...heh...you're probably not going to like this chapter then XD

However, Contestshipping is coming! Be patient guise:3

**Review reply time.**

**Greece's kitty** - That I did! :D

**Left-to-die** - Nice rant you have there;) I did make Brendan quite evil and stalker-y though, so fair enough xD Aw thankyou!:3

**SYKpop7** - Thankyou, I hope I did well in them, but I don't get to find out till September. Bleh :( hehe, I'm glad you liked the chapter and I hope you like this one too^_^

**Lil'MissEya** - XDXD omg. What a lovely description of Brendan's future death, it kept me entertained xD Forever jealous of you being immortal;)

**xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx** - aw I know right. I guess he definitely is, you'll see more of him this chapter:)

**Missy** - Phaha! It actually does sound like Bitchy xD Everyone seems to have these conspiracies about Brianna and Brendan working together...but I actually forgot about Brianna omg. Ok so I'm sat here laughing like an idiot at your little rampage on Brendan XD I don't know it made me laugh:'D

**xDragonairx** - N'aw thankyou^_^ I was a bit scared of him myself actually when I read the chapter back xD I have no idea how Brianna is involved...I actually forgot about her. oops

**GoldenGloryQueen** - I didn't actually mean to make him such a bad guy, it just happenedXD

**Gloss Gurl** - Yeah he did, I didn't intend for him to be so evil when I first put him into the story, but hey xD

**RedRubyS.C** - thankyou! Of course I will:-)

**pokemonSLR** - You're absolutely right, I took the name Midnight Run from an Example song:') I love him. Thanks for reviewing the past couple of chapters^_^

**LAPKat** - ahahaha! Is your speechlessness a good thing or a bad thing? XD

**Kaurz9802** - Hehe I know, I thought that making a comparison between Gary and Brendan would be a good idea in making Leaf finally begin to see the light. OMGOMG you have no idea how much I wanted to write about Gary bursting in through the door and knocking Brendan's teeth out. It was so tempting, but cliche and unrealistic :( wah. Omigosh I'm one of your favourite authors? Aw yay, you're so sweet!^_^ Oh don't even get me started on his ever-so-famous 'Sea green eyes' oooooh;)

**Caaro13** - thankyou!^_^

**ButterflyFlutterCry** - I'll admit, I never heard that last part:') The drama is just never ending omgXD I always seem to find new things to put in. Aw thankyou^_^ I'm glad you like it!

**Fangora the Dragon** - You're aliveeeeeee. Hehe, not all of the pairs will be at the wedding but 2 out of 4 ain't bad. I have plans for Contest and Ikari though, so you'll just have to wait and see what happens! :)

**Guest** - Yeah I know, ugh I hate writing hoennshipping, it's killing me-_- Contestshipping is coming though!

**Guest** - hehe! That's the part I'm looking forward to writing a lot :D

**Disclaimer:**

i

o w n

o k

g u y s

i l y

...

**Chapter 19: Seeing Really Is Believing  
><strong>

...

**—Normal POV—**

Two weeks had passed as quickly as a gunshot. Nothing changed. Misty, Dawn, Leaf and May were still singing their hearts out for the competition every week, and the only downside of it was having to saying goodbye to somebody you'd been living with for the past month and a half or so. It was hard.

It was Brock first, and then Jasmine last night. Cruel, the only word the girls could use to describe it. These people had worked so hard to stay in the competition, and to have your chances of a record deal being snatched away from you, just like that? It was cruel.

The girls had all gone through it themselves as soloists, they understood the broken look on Jasmine's face when Dexter voted for Brendan to stay rather than her.

Last night's elimination night was extremely tense, for Leaf especially. Unbeknownst to the other girls, Leaf had discovered Brendan's true intentions. She had to live with seeing his cold, knowing smirk everyday as he wrapped his arms around May, as he kissed May, knowing that the darker brunette couldn't tell her the truth, as she wouldn't believe a word if it.

When May - just a few days after Leaf's shocking discovery - announced excitedly to the girls that her and Brendan were dating, Misty and Dawn looked happy for her and congratulated her.

Leaf...she just walked out of the room in fury.

So when Brendan ended up in the bottom two last night, Leaf was secretly ecstatic while May was fretting with worry for Brendan.

But even then, he still wouldn't leave.

* * *

><p>"So what are your plans for the week Misty?" Dawn asked, leaning over her suitcase packed full of clothes to pick up a cute skirt.<p>

The redhead smiled. "Well there's Gary's sisters wedding that I'm going with Ash to, but apart from that...I got nothing. I'll probably just spend as much time with Ashy-boy as I can," she shrugged.

"You two are just so cute!" Dawn grinned, her eyes shining.

"So are you and Paul official yet or what?" Misty asked bluntly, standing up to go in one of her drawers. "You keep checking your phone literally every two seconds..."

Dawn's hand froze as it lingered over her phone, and she meekly drew it back, hoping Misty didn't notice.

"I'm...uh...not sure what's going on with him," the blunette blushed. She then turned to Leaf, who was packing up her things quietly. She hadn't spoken once.

"What's the matter Leafy?" Dawn asked. Leaf was just staring into space, tightly clutching the pair of jeans in her hands.

Dawn said nothing more. She presumed Leaf was worried about seeing Gary again, for the first time in weeks. It wasn't like her and Paul, she hadn't kept in contact with her former best friend.

The blunette turned around to see Misty searching frantically through one of the drawers, throwing things out of it left right and centre. "Where is it?" she yelled frantically.

"Where's what?" she asked.

"My letter from Ash! I kept it right in here and now it's gone!" the redhead ran a hand through her hair and continued searching - but to no avail.

Minutes of searching the room past, and nothing. Misty looked distraught, that scrawled on piece of paper meant more to her than anything.

"It's just gotta be around here somewhere, come on..." Dawn continued to search frantically. Misty took hold of her shoulders in an effort to stop her.

"It doesn't matter, just leave it."

"But-"

"I said, leave it Dawn!"

Misty's yell pierced through the room, causing Dawn to slowly close the drawer she was rooting through.

"Look, I'm sorry..." the redhead sighed, rubbing her eyes and yawning.

Dawn shrugged, faking a smile. As much she loved Misty, she just couldn't deny that she had an extremely short fuse, the girl was intimidating.

But Ash...well. He brings out her soft side.

"Guys, come see this!" Leaf squealed, alarmed. She'd moved onto the laptop, her eyes wide at something on the screen.

Misty and Dawn ran over to where the brunette was lying on her bed.

"It's our joint twitter account, your point?" Misty questioned, confused until her eyes landed on the trending topics.

**_Ash's Letter_** was trending worldwide.

"What the hell..?" the fiery haired girl with the personality to match muttered.

Leaf clicked on the trend and thousands of tweets appeared. They read the first three that appeared on screen.

..

**Midnight_Runx:** _aw Ash! This letter is the cutest thing I've ever read!^_^_

**MistAndAshx3:**_ asdghklldwryubd ASH'S LETTER AWWWWW! My otp are the best ok:3_

**LoveTigerRose:** _Misty and Ash are the perfect couple, this letter just proves it!_

_..  
><em>

The third tweet posted a link. Leaf quickly clicked it, and Misty just stared.

Her letter, her _property_...had ended up being leaked on the internet. For everybody and anybody to see.

She just didn't know what to do, she loved that the fans supported her and Ash's relationship, but she hated - despised - that SOMEBODY had gone through her things and posted her letter online for the world to see.

Who could have done that..?

Misty's thoughts had drifted her away from reality, so she didn't notice that Leaf had a murderous look in he eye, her fists clenched.

She had the answers to Misty's questions, she knew who would do that.

She'd sat back and let him get away with so much.

Leaf knew what she had to do. She wasn't going to let him win anymore.

* * *

><p>"Hey beautiful."<p>

May averted her eyes from the tv screen and looked into the red irises standing before her.

Her heart fluttered and her cheeks blushed red, just from his presence in the room.

"Heya," she replied back in a playful tone as he sat down next to her on the couch.

May was floating on cloud nine right now, nothing could bring her down. She'd been ecstatic for the last couple of weeks.

A couple of weeks since Brendan had asked her to be his girlfriend.

And she accepted. After that, the two were inseparable. Whether it was sitting on the roof of the house at night and counting the stars, or just kissing and cuddling together.

Every moment was bliss.

"What are you watching?" he sniggered as he glanced at the tv screen.

"I'm watching Jersey Shore, duh. Stop laughing!" she tried to playfully hit his arm, but Brendan caught it in mid air and pulled her closer to him.

"I'll miss you. You know, next week..." May sighed. She didn't want to go home right now, she was having the best time here in Ever Grande City.

Why would she want to leave?

"I'll miss you too. I want to see my family again obviously, but I want to see you and your cute little face more," Brendan smiled, leaning in to kiss her lips.

A few moments later May broke the kiss for air, her eyes shining. "You think I'm cute?"

"The cutest," he declared and they resumed their kiss.

* * *

><p>"But who could've done this..?" Dawn speculated as she scrolled down the tweets on the page, trying to make some kind of sense of it all.<p>

Misty said nothing. She was just sitting on her bed, and her facial expression lacked any kind of emotion. It was best to leave her alone.

Leaf meanwhile, was stuck. As much as she wanted, needed, to get out of the room and confront Brendan, she just couldn't do it. She had nothing on him and even though the letter got leaked online, there was nothing to say that it was Brendan. Leaf would look like a liar.

Her eyes lingered on the door. She ached to run out of there and tell May everything.

But instead she turned away, continuing to pick up the last her clothes and put them in her case. She looked underneath her bed and found a jacket and an old t shirt that must have fell under there. She leaned over to grab them.

But as she tried to drop the jacket into the case, something fell out of the inside pocket, fluttering onto the floor.

Her eyes widened - she'd forgotten completely.

The picture that Brendan secretly took of her and Gary, the one she put in her pocket before he even showed up and demanded his stalker book back.

_This_. She could use this against him!

It wasn't much, but it was something. She wasn't thinking straight, clutching the image tightly in her left hand as she bolted for the door.

It slammed shut and Misty and Dawn gave each other perplexed looks, before running off after the determined brunette.

"Brendan! Where are you?" Leaf yelled as she stormed into the front room, interrupting a heated moment between May and her boyfriend.

"Gross," the darker brunette rolled her eyes as May flushed crimson, edging herself off of Brendan's lap.

"W...what's the matter?" May asked timidly.

"I need to talk to _him_," she scowled, her deadly gaze locked on Brendan, who gave her a nasty grin in return.

"Why?" she blinked, looking at Brendan with wide eyes. Leaf knew she utterly adored him, and that was the worst part...

Brendan sat up. "What do you want?" he asked, a smirk clear on his face. May still couldn't see it.

"You stole Misty's letter and posted it on the internet didn't you!" Leaf accused, trying her hardest not to yell. Misty and Dawn came flying down the stairs moments after, neither of them saying a word, clearly bewildered.

Brendan put on a look of innocence. "Letter? What are you talking about?" he shook his head convincingly.

May didn't say anything, she just glanced at the darker brunette with a look of confusion.

"Don't you dare lie to me Brendan Birch! I'm sick of your lies and your little knowing smile! How do you even live with yourself knowing that you're leading May on like this?"

May was so confused. She just sat there and watched Leaf and Brendan argue, unable to interrupt.

"You're crazy. Why the hell would I do that to her?" he yelled, continuing to spout out lie after lie.

"You're stalking her, you have a book dedicated to it! You're a creep!"

Brendan raised an eyebrow. "What? May...uh...don't take this the wrong way but I seriously think your friend needs help."

Leaf was astonished. "Are you freaking serious? You work for the press and you're behind every single news story about this show! You're using May to get all the scandals and I can't stand this-"

"Leaf! Shut up!" Leaf was interrupted by May, she'd never heard her scream so loud before.

The darker brunette moved closer to May, her eyes pleading with hers. "Just let me talk. Please."

"Hm," May folded her arms, unimpressed.

"Look, I know this sounds crazy but you gotta believe me. Brendan...Maybelle he's not who you think he is. He works for the newspapers and he's been taking photos of everyone in this house and sending them in, like this one." I held out the photo in my hand, but Brendan took it out of my hand.

"Oh this is beyond sad Leaf. You clearly got somebody to take a photo of you kissing your boyfriend so you could blame it on me. How else could they have gotten the timing so perfect? You're pathetic." Brendan threw insult after insult but I couldn't let him get to me.

"He's not my...never mind that," I turned to May, who's face was neutral. "Just stay away from that creep May, please! He doesn't love you, he's just using you as a stepping stone to his next paycheck! He's stalking you, using you...he's just not right for you!"

Leaf's heart sunk as May had a look of disgust upon her face. "You're a pathetic little liar," she spat.

Tears sprung to Leaf's eyes but she blinked them away. Hearing those words was bad enough, but hearing them from a girl as sweet as May? Horrible.

"May, you didn't mean that! Just listen to me..." Leaf begged, but the girl backed away.

"I've heard enough. You aren't who I thought you were, Leaf Green, you're lying to me! Brendan would never do that, this competition is his life and soul! Are you jealous of me? Because you regret pushing Gary away? Well that isn't my problem."

Leaf was shocked, tears rolling down her cheeks. This wasn't May Maple. This girl standing before her wore a dirty scowl across her face, her make-up was overdone and unnatural and she hadn't worn a bandana in weeks.

Her top was too skimpy and her shorts were TOO short.

It wasn't just her appearance. Unless they were working on the song, May was never with the other girls. Her once-beloved guitar lay dusty and untouched in the corner of the bedroom, her case full of unfinished songs she'd started to write before _he_ came into her life.

Not only was the bastard using her, he was changing her. From a cute country girl into a little slut.

They were losing her.

"May, please! This is the truth-"

"No! Brendan is the sweetest, most genuine person. He's not using me, nor is he stalking me! We're happy right now so just stop interfering and leave us alone!" May cried.

"But he is doing all those things! I just know Brendan leaked Misty's letter onto the Internet, I bet he still has it!"

Leaf knew she sounded desperate right now, but they were listening to her.

"Go on then, why don't you tell everybody why I'm this bad guy all of a sudden." Brendan rolled his eyes, a patronising look on his face.

"You know you are. I found your book which you're using to stalk May, and I found all the photos too." Leaf kept her cool, as she didn't want to attract the attention of the other contestants in the house.

"What photos?" Dawn asked, breaking the silence that her and Misty had kept between them.

"Everyone in the house. There were a lot of photos of you kissing Paul..." Leaf trailed off at the end and Dawn looked extremely worried.

Her eyes shot to Brendan. "Is that true?"

Leaf expected him to put on a look of innocence and say no, but he did something else instead.

"You kissing Paul? As in Paul Shinji from Midnight Run? I didn't even know you and him were together..."

He was pretending he knew nothing of Dawn's fling with Paul. Leaf was furious.

_Oh_, she thought, _he was good_.

Dawn said nothing, her eyes darting from Leaf to Brendan, trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who was lying.

Leaf continued on, still accusing Brendan. "He was the one who made the articles on Misty and Ash when they first got together," she turned to look at the scowling brunette in front of her. "He also made that article about you and Drew, May."

"But why would Brendan write an article about me and Drew potentially being a couple? I'm his girlfriend for god sake!"

Leaf walked straight up to Brendan, who was clearly amused by this whole situation. "You think this is funny, Birch?"

"Actually I do," he shrugged. "I never really thought you were the type to try and break up relationships, but I guess I know now."

"Answer me Leaf!" May demanded, her expression had gone from confused to enraged.

"Because he doesn't love you! He doesn't care about you, he just wants a news story!" Leaf yelled at May.

The lighter brunette looked on timidly, but her voice was cold. "How would you know that he doesn't care about me?"

Then Leaf made the last fatal blow.

"Because when I found out, your guilty little boyfriend _kissed_ me. And he did it to mess with my head!"

May's eyes lit up like a spark of electricity and she lifted up her hand to slap the brunette.

Leaf didn't even flinch. She just touched her stinging cheek and let the tears stream down her face.

"Why would you lie about something like that? You're a little attention seeker and I hate you!" May screamed, running out of the room in tears. Brendan shot Leaf a murderous glare for Dawn and Misty's benefit, and then ran off after May.

The door slammed and the room was silent. Leaf slumped down on the couch, a crumpled mess.

Misty leapt to her side immediately. "Leaf..." she whispered, but she couldn't even hear herself over her friend's sobs.

Dawn stayed where she was, rooted to the spot like a gnarled old tree while Misty cuddled Leaf and tried to calm her down.

A few minutes later, she was wiping her eyes and sniffling.

She looked at Dawn, then at Misty. "You...you guys believe me, right?" she asked hopefully, her voice broken and desperate.

Dawn spoke first. "I just don't know what to believe anymore Leaf. I don't know exactly what happened, but I can't take sides over something that I know nothing about. I've had it with drama after everything with Ursula and I need to stay out of this."

Leaf smiled weakly. "It's fine, I understand Dawn."

The blunette smiled and walked towards Leaf, pulling her into a hug. "Do you want me to bring your suitcase downstairs for you? May's probably up there right now and I doubt that she'll want to see you..."

Leaf smiled. "Well I finished all my packing so yes please." As Dawn was walking out, she added, "I love you lots _Princess_."

Dawn smiled, knowing that Leaf had used the old nickname that Gary had given to the blunette.

"Love you too Leafy," she replied before walking out of the door.

The brunette turned to Misty. "I guess you can't take sides either..." she sighed.

"Actually, I'm on your side for this one," Misty shrugged.

Leaf was shocked. "What?"

"I believe you over him, because what you said made sense to me. Who else would be able to walk into our room and know exactly where my letter was hidden? May knew where it was. She could have easily told him without even realising it."

A smile appeared on the brunettes face. Misty understood!

"But...how exactly did you find out?" the redhead asked, handing Leaf a tissue to dab at her eyes with.

And with that, Leaf spent the next few minutes telling Misty everything that occurred two weeks ago.

"So he grabbed you, to stop you from getting out with the book?" Misty stood up, pacing around the room as she tried to process the information.

"Yeah..." Leaf sighed, shifting in her seat.

She remembered the nasty, taunting words that he whispered into her ear that day.

About how, if she didn't do as she was told, then he would do something much worse to her than just kiss her.

Even now, she still shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if she was just that _little_ bit more stubborn.

She didn't even want to think about it.

"Misty...I don't want to talk about this anymore," Leaf sighed.

Misty just nodded and the silence crept back up again. However, it didn't last long as Dawn opened up the door, pulling the cases behind her.

"You didn't have to bring mine down too!" Misty exclaimed, obviously feeling bad about Dawn trying to lug three suitcases down those stairs at once.

"It doesn't matter," Dawn smiled.

"So...how is she?" Leaf found herself mumbling.

Dawn chewed on her lip, wondering what to say. "Uh...still majorly angry. But I'm sure she'll come around by next week, she has to!"

"She won't. As long as he's there controlling her life, she won't talk to me."

Dawn didn't even say anything, she knew Leaf was right.

She was slowly beginning to believe Leaf over Brendan, but she still couldn't take sides. May and Dawn were so close, but even the blunette knew that May hadn't been the same ever since her and Brendan became a couple.

Misty glanced at the clock. "It's time to go, our flights are in an hour or so."

As the three of them walked out into the hall where lots of the contestants were already walking out of the door, Dawn glanced hesitantly at the stairs.

"You two can go and say goodbye to May if you want, you know. I don't mind." Leaf spoke slowly.

"Alright. I'll be right back," Dawn smiled and headed upstairs. Misty turned to follow.

"Misty!" Leaf called. The redhead turned around.

"Tell her...tell her I said goodbye, and that I didn't mean to upset her."

A few moments later, Dawn and Misty reappeared downstairs and the three of them opened the door to the car, headed for Ever Grande Airport.

Leaf leaned into Misty's shoulder and let out a yawn.

She froze in place after realising that she had a week of living next door to Gary.

How would she cope, seeing him again?

She sat quietly and wondered.

_Is he over her?_

_Is he dating somebody else now?_

_Does he ever think about her?_

She thought about him. Hell, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

She knew everything about him. His favourite colour was red, his right eye twitched slightly when he was nervous, he had a major dislike of moths - evil little creatures, and he still loved to play childish video games with Ash, even now.

And then there was Daisy's wedding to think about.

That was a day where she couldn't get away from Gary, or try to hide from him.

Leaf's thoughts were interrupted by Misty gently pushing her head off of her shoulder as they had to get out of the car.

She brightened up instantly as she realised that fans had turned up to the airport to see them and the other contestants. After signing a few autographs and taking a lot of pictures, the three girls made it inside the airport, and they had bodyguards assigned to follow and keep a watch on them.

They checked in, and then before they knew it they had to board their flights. After seeing Ursula board the same plane, Dawn did not want to go. It took a few moments of talking and 'You want to see Paul, right?' to convince her to board.

"I'm gonna miss you guys so much!" Dawn hugged the two of them, tears springing to her eyes - she was never great with goodbyes.

"Seven days isn't too long away, don't worry!" Misty grinned.

"And besides, you get to see Paul again! Have you got your outfit from Lady Marmalade ready for him?" Leaf giggled as a joke.

"Yes I...wait a minute!" Dawn blushed terribly as Leaf giggled further. "I meant it's in my case! Not for Paul. Nope. Nada."

"Oh Dawn. You walked straight into that one my good friend," Misty chuckled as Dawn shook her head.

The blunette said goodbye. She turned on her heel, still blushing, and then disappeared through the door to the plane.

Now it was just Misty and Leaf, who were ready to get on their flight.

Misty was in deep thought. "I can only help but wonder what the boys think when they see us on tv..."

"You mean what Ash thinks," Leaf smiled, knowing she was right.

"Maybe...but I'm always wondering if he's proud of me for getting through every week here."

Leaf beamed at her friend. "I know Ash very well, and I know that he's proud of you. He loves you Misty!"

"Maybe so, but he hasn't said the words directly to me." Misty cast her eyes down to the floor.

"He thinks that the words _I love you_ get thrown far too easily these days. He's never had a girlfriend before so he doesn't know what love feels like." Leaf shrugged. "Maybe he'll say those words to you one day."

"I doubt that, I'm nothing special," Misty continued to doubt herself as the girls boarded the jet and sat themselves down.

"Look at me Misty, you are special. I've seen the way Ash looks at you, I've heard snippets of your conversations on video call. You're different from the rest and you don't even know it! That's what makes you beautiful Mist."

Misty looked at Leaf, and she felt her heart glow with a sense of warmth. That was the nicest thing she'd ever heard anybody say about her, excluding the things Ash told her in his letter.

Her letter...she was still sad that she had to leave without it but what choice did she have?

She knew it off by heart anyway.

Misty grinned the largest grin and put her arms around Leaf. Even after everything, all the shit and mind games Leaf has had to endure over these past few weeks all by herself, and then the fatal blow of a brainwashed May accusing her of lying, she still had the time to smile, comfort and talk with Misty.

The redhead was so grateful.

"Thank you so much Leafy, that meant more to me than you'll ever know," Misty spoke shakily, tears springing to her eyes.

"Any time. I'm always here if you need to talk," Leaf replied.

Around ten minutes later, the plane lifted off into the air.

While this was happening, Leaf felt like, while she was being lifted thousands of feet up in the air, her problems didn't follow her. Instead they stayed rooted inside that house.

She didn't have to worry.

It was a huge weight off her shoulders. She was smiling, and it wasn't forced.

Happy, laughing and carefree. Her old self was trying to find her again.

As Leaf looked out of the plane window, she watched as the the aircraft came out from inside a cloud and a breathtaking orange sunset emerged before her eyes.

For the first time in weeks, the brunette genuinely smiled.

She looked at Misty, who's ocean blue eyes were twinkling with the excitement of seeing Ash for the first time in a month or so.

Maybe going home wasn't going to be so bad after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> this chapter was meh. idk. I decided to fast forward a couple of weeks so the shippings can begin. It wasn't too rushed...was it?

So...um...basically...yeah. These next few chapters are going to be sooooooo fun and/or interesting to write because I have a few things planned out (for once). Get ready for some Ikarishipping cuteness, Contestshipping sadness, Oldrivalshipping bipolarness and Pokeshipping adorableness!

Also! I know the story is by no means finished, but I'm interested to know if I should make a sequel for it. Please please please tell me what you think, because I don't know what to do at the end just yet:')

Review please!^_^ I love the emails I get from fanfiction more than Niall Horan loves food.

And he LOVES food.

Until next time!

Love Tay x


	20. Chapter 20: He's A Man With A Plan

Gosh you guys like to rant. I love it.

I was going to update this tomorrow, but i seriously have nothing to do right now so yup.

And I'm so close to 300 reviews too...woahs. Considering that this is my first story, I'm amazed. I didn't even think I'd get past 100, let alone 300! Thank you for reviewing guys, it means a lot! ^.^

Le review corner:

**Left-to-die** - thankyou:3 I loved your rant tehehe sarcastic rants are always the best rants. It made me laugh how you said you wanted to kill half of the characters XD Yepyep, May is very stupid for taking Brendan's side of the story, but she may just come to regret that choice;')

**theasianwonder** - Omg. When I first put Brendan in the story, he was just supposed to be Drew's rival for May's affection in the house. he was supposed to be nice, but somehow he turned evil along the way and then nearly raped Leaf. o.o I swear this story writes itself sometimes...LOL. Yeah I know I would have done that too, but then there would have been no OMG explanation from Brendan and blah blah blah. Plus I haven't read many stories where May turns into a bit of a bitch, so I thought it would be interesting to write XD

**ReadyToRockAndRoll** - Well you'll see Drew's reaction soon! It's not this chapter but it'll come soon enough :)

**Guest** - Ahahaha I suppose it is XD

**Greece's Kitty** - Anger burst! XD

**eeveeluvr** - Yes, yes he should.

**Guest** - Aww thankyou!^_^ I hope you like this chapter!

**Missy** - Well things begin to look up for contestshipping at the end of this chapter...or maybe not, I'll let you actually read the chapter before I go and spoil it all... I haven't decided what exactly to do with Amy yet, but I guess I'll just figure it out later. LOL. You can't make it through summer without my stories? Aw I'll try and update as much as I can before school starts up again in september:3

**Kaurz9802** - Yes, I totally agree with you! That was partly the reason why I've done this, and maybe I want Drew to react to the new her...the drama is just never-ending. You don't have to apologise for the length of the review, aha! i adore long reviews, they're awesome! lol I'm always in lala land, apparently my head's always in the clouds, but its not even my fault XD we'll be getting to the oldrivalshippy parts soon, and i can't waiiiiit to write it. i even ended up posting an oldrivalshipping oneshot because i just had to write something about them. i love them c: aw you're so nice! ^.^ thank you so much lovely xx

**Gloss Gurl** - thank you ^_^ ugh writing the parts with May and Brendan is pretty painful, but it'll be over soon-_-

**SYKpop7** - Yeah, I heard about Franticshipping :) Although it's definitely not Hoennshipping xD Yep, he is so going down;)

**LittleMusicLover** - I guess life just isn't fair, even in this story. Omg now that you mention it, May without a bandana is actually quite weird! Like I can't seem to picture it... Omg I know, writing May as a bitch was really hard, but we'll just have to see what happens from that...

**Lil'MissEya** - I am? BRB OMG FEELING THE LOVE RIGHT NOW. Teheh I'm sorry, yes I died for a little while so I wasn't able to update sooner. Not all of us have immortality ya know;') LOL omg I swear everyone's threatened Brendan in some kind of way XD

**Fprmr1** - I'm in love with the irish accent altogether (The Script tehehe), i want the accent so much omg. ^_^ wow somebody's very good at finding my references;') I'm glad you love 1D because I'm sort of in love with them too XD aw thank you! :3

**xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx** - hehe, that's the question we're all asking;')

**Guest** - You're welcome! I'm just glad you love this story :D

**BlueGreenEyes16** - eeeek One Direction! 8D I love them so much too ^.^

**GoldenGloryQueen** - Sorry but I can't let you kill Brendan right now, he iz very much needed;') however he's not in this chapter.

**pokemonSLR** - aw thanks:3 i always try my best to balance them out because i hate it when people write stories with these ships, but focus everything on just one ship . its annoying idk. hehe i see a little You Belong With Me reference there;) lawl when do i not quote id lie in this story? XD

**AstralAvery** - that song actually fits well, I might just use it! ^.^

**RandomVisitorGirl** - here's the update! :)

**LittleWoman9497** - oh I think we could ALL totally deal without the hoennshipping;) but it makes for good drama so it has to stay a little longer wah. Yay contestshipping!

**Guest** - aw thankyou! ^_^

**Otaku'25** - LOL even I'm not ready for contestshipping sadness, it's gonna be vair hard to write...

**contestshippingrose** - It will happen, allllll in good time xD

**citrasama** - thanks! ^.^ Yeah, it is rather confusing when you think about it:')

**LoveLoverGrl** - ahaha omg I think everyone would want to do that:')

**Rose** - Lol I have no idea what's going to happen for the wedding chapter, I think I'm just going to wing it and see what happens from there..

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> Pokemon is the best thing, that's ever been mine. LOL JK of course

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><p>...<p>

**Chapter 20: He's A Man With A Plan**

...

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><p><strong>((Dawn's POV))<strong>

I was home.

**Home**. Man, I hadn't used that word in a while.

Twinleaf Town was exactly the same as before, nothing had changed. It looked almost untouched.

Only...since I'd been in Hoenn, otherwise known as the hottest region, for the past couple of months, my hometown felt a lot colder than what I'd been getting used to.

It was June and the sun was beginning to set, casting a dazzling orange glow about the area as I headed for home.

I walked up the front porch steps, ready to step into my comfort zone again.

But that was when I heard it.

That coy giggle, I could recognise _that_ from a mile away.

I looked down the street and saw her.

With him. She was with him.

The peach haired girl who made my life a living hell was standing outside a car down my street, while HE fetched her suitcases from inside it.

What was he doing?

I felt anger boiling up inside me as he gave her a smile and entwined his hand with hers.

He knew. Lucas knew!

He knew everything that she did to me when we were younger!

But I wasn't angry from the fact that they were together.

I was angry because he'd forgotten.

Lucas knew everything that she'd done to me, I poured my heart out to him just a few years ago.

Yet he still held her hand. He still showed affection for the girl.

That same girl who ruined my relationship with him.

Unless...Ursula wasn't the one to blame here.

She blackmailed me into kissing Paul Shinji once.

But all of those other times, all of those intimate moments? She had nothing to do with it.

It was all me.

Me. Dawn Berlitz, the girl who cheated on her sweetheart boyfriend countless times.

And I probably would have continued to do it, had the boys stayed in the competition.

I just couldn't help it. After that first fateful kiss, I couldn't even spare a glance at Paul without him easily enticing me with those dark, void-like eyes into being alone with him.

I always complied, I let him slyly take me away from the others and I loved it. His touch was soft, but with a slight rough edge that always left me begging for more.

But as much as I wanted him at the time, the guilt afterwards was just too much to bear.

I shook myself out of my thoughts, my hand resting on the door handle.

"Oh, just look what the cat dragged in," came a smug sounding voice.

I turned around to see her standing right behind me, a smirk at her lips. Lucas was standing next to her, the same expression on his face.

"Just leave me alone," I muttered.

"I'm surprised you're here and not with your new boyfriend!" she taunted, before turning to Lucas. "You know she cheated on you, right?"

Lucas gave her a horrible look. "Yeah, don't I know it. She's a _fucking_ cheater."

I was horrified. The tears streamed down my face as they taunted and terrorised me.

"_Cheater_."

"_Slut_."

"_Bitch_."

"_Desperate_."

"_Whore_."

"_**Liar**_!"

Their words made me fall down to my knees and the two of them loomed over me like unwanted shadows, calling me more names.

The beautiful tangerine sunset miserably faded away, to be replaced by an eerie midnight sky.

Even the stars didn't shine for me.

I put my head in my hands and wished for it all to end. Lucas and Ursula began to laugh, but their casual sniggers quickly turned into warped, inhuman sneering as I screamed for this nightmare to be over.

The last thing I remember was calling out for Paul in a pure act of desperation, before blacking out completely.

* * *

><p><strong>-Monday, June 9th-<strong>

My eyes shot open in a flash and I expected myself to be in Twinleaf, back on those front porch steps.

But of course, I wasn't there. Instead, I was thousands of feet up in the air, on the way back to my region.

It was a nightmare, but it was extremely vivid. It took me a few minutes to work out whether it actually happened or not, I just couldn't tell.

I sat up and yawned, rubbing my eyes. My hands were shaking horribly and I tried to calm myself down.

It wasn't real.

Of course not...Lucas would never date Ursula again, and he was so understanding during our break up...

Sometimes he's just too nice for his own good.

"Geez Dawn, what's up with you?"

My stomach churned as my eyes darted to the girl standing near me.

Why was she talking to me?

"Nothing," I muttered, pretending to be interested in a chip in my nail.

"Your face is ghostly pale and you're shaking like a leaf," she stated, her tone anything but sympathetic.

I chose to stay quiet, but this didn't stop her.

"So I heard you and Lucas broke up?" she spoke with an innocent smile.

"Yeah we did, are you happy now?" I swallowed, casting my eyes away.

"Yeah I am, now that he finally knows what a slut you are," she grinned.

She wasn't going to go away, so I decided to question her.

"Slut? This entire thing started with you!" I hissed.

"Me? I simply did nothing but get you to kiss Paul. Everything else I saw you two do had nothing to do with me," she spoke with a knowing voice.

My eyes widened.

She was watching us?

I didn't want to ask but I had to. "What did you see?"

"A lot of things," she smirked. "How could you live with yourself Dawn? Leading your poor boyfriend on, telling him you loved him whilst you were making out with another guy? How could you?"

"Don't you dare say that! I didn't mean for any of this to happen, but I did the right thing and told him the truth! I loved Lucas, but we're over and now I'm single," I took a breath, "And now I'm ending this conversation."

I delved into my bag and got out my iPod and headphones, and began to play the music.

She shrugged, before walking away with a smirk on her face.

I put a hand through my hair and sighed.

Nothing was going right.

All I wanted was to go home and relax for the week, but instead I was sitting here worrying about everything - and not just my problem with Ursula either.

I'd started to worry about May. The more I thought about it, the more I delved deeper into Leaf's revelation...I realised that the darker brunette was right.

For one, Leaf wouldn't lie about something like that. I haven't known her for too long, but despite her throwing the odd tantrum and being slightly loud, I couldn't deny that she cared for us all.

Then there was another problem, May had changed. The way she dressed, the way she acted...

It just wasn't right. She was with him constantly last week, and she was GUSHING over him.

Before Brendan, things were different.

She'd never yell or raise her voice at anyone.

She was always writing new songs and playing her guitar - something she hadn't done in a long while.

She would never physically hurt anybody.

And yet she did. She harshly slapped Leaf for speaking what she called the truth.

As I continued to think, my thoughts moved on to Drew.

I genuinely thought that May had a crush on him.

But I guess it just wasn't meant to be...

I just sighed and let the music take over, telling myself not to worry.

But I just couldn't shake the feeling that May was going to get hurt.

But what could I do? Sinnoh is miles away from Hoenn and Misty and Leaf are back off to Kanto, which is also far.

There was simply nothing we could do about it.

I sighed with the complications of everything and looked out of the window.

There wasn't long to go now, I'd been on this flight for quite a while. The time difference was also beginning to show. The clocks in Sinnoh are around five hours faster than they are in Hoenn, meaning that time would have changed from half five in the evening, to around ten at night.

I just wanted to get home, and sleep in my own bed.

It was going to be a long flight.

* * *

><p><strong>-Tuesday, June 10th-<strong>

**—Normal POV—**

"Drew, honey? Can I come in for a moment?"

At the sound of his name, Drew looked up to his mother stood at his bedroom door.

"Sure," Drew murmured.

She walked in and sat next to him. "I have to ask you a favour."

"What's going on?" he asked hesitantly.

"Tomorrow, I have..._business_ that I have to attend to overseas in Johto, and I really need you to take care of your sister while I'm gone," she took hold of her son's hands. "Please Drew, it would mean a lot."

"Again..?" he sighed. "Why do you keep leaving me to be responsible for _your_ daughter?"

"It's complicated, ok?" she sounded tired. "But I have to leave tomorrow."

Drew looked away. He hated it when she did this. Left him to pick up the pieces while _she_ jetted off elsewhere for a few days.

She'd been doing it for so long, and yet she still wouldn't tell him where she was going.

Goodness knows what she did with Lia when he was still in Ever Grande for the competition.

"Why do you have to go? Lia is six years old and she needs a parent figure in her life! Dad's fucked off out of our lives and now you keep on leaving us!" Drew raged.

"Please don't curse Drew," was all she said.

He couldn't believe it. Her attitude was appalling!

_Pathetic_ he thought. Her actions made him want to pack up all his things and move out right now, rent an apartment downtown.

But there was one thing that stopped him, the gorgeous little girl that was caught up in all of this drama.

As he watched his mother walk out of his room, he noticed a small head peep around the corner.

"Drewy?" she asked as she stepped into his room. "Why were you yelling at mommy?"

Drew bit his lip. She was outside, listening in to the whole conversation.

He just stared at her, not knowing what to say. Her innocent eyes were wide with confusion.

She was just a child, yet she'd put up with so much from this broken family.

All she had left was her flighty mother and her big brother.

This was why Drew couldn't bear to leave her.

Tears of frustration flew to his eyes but he blinked them away. He held out his arms, and the little girl crawled onto his lap. He held her tight as he rocked her back and forth gently, Lia loved cuddles.

"Is mommy leaving us like daddy did?" she asked, lifting her head up to look at her brother.

Drew felt his heart break right there.

His little sister, Lia Hayden, had asked that question so casually. Like it was normal, like asking what was for dinner, or whether she could go to her friends house to play for an afternoon.

She'd somehow just accepted that her parents were failures in keeping the family together.

"She's going on a little holiday to Johto for a couple of days, but she's coming back," Drew reassured Lia, watching as a bright smile appeared on the young girls' face.

He admired her optimism so much, he had none right now.

"Oh, that's good!" Lia looked relieved. "Drewy, please please _please_ can we go to Emmy's house?" she begged.

Drew smiled - Lia adored Emmy...and maybe he wanted to get out of this house too.

"Sure, let me call her first."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, Lia and Drew set off for Emmy's, with Drew slamming the front door behind him for good measure.<p>

It was a quiet walk, but the silence was sweet. Lia was positively dancing along the sidewalk and Drew couldn't help but smile at her.

Her brunette locks were flying in the wind, she'd inherited them from their mother while he ended up with their dad's chartreuse hair.

But they both had the colour of that bastards eyes.

Drew watched his sister again. He'd realised this a while back; Lia had some evident facial similarities to a girl known as May Maple.

_May_...

Ever since she told him that she was dating Birch, things were never really the same.

Her texts became less and less frequent. She'd always reply, but she seemed uninterested and sometimes she'd reply with just one word.

Long were the days of witty conversation and banter into all hours of the night.

_It was like she was constantly talking to someone better than him..._

Well of course she was. Birch.

Drew didn't like him. He didn't like him when he was in the house in Ever Grande City, and he sure as hell didn't like him now.

He found it odd however, that the details of May and Birch's relationship never appeared in the tabloids.

Nobody was talking about it, because they didn't know about it.

Some people even thought that _he_ was dating May, after the article about them in the magazine.

He could only smile at the thought.

Then he remembered, May was coming home this week. Then again, so was Birch.

But that didn't stop him from wanting to see her.

Drew unlatched the gate and Lia skipped down the pathway and up to the door, quickly tapping the door with her tiny knuckles.

The door swung open, and the smiling honey blonde girl emerged.

"Hey cutie!" Emmy beamed, giving Lia a huge hug.

The tiny brunette giggled at the attention she was receiving, her jade eyes glittered with radiance.

"Oh hello, _Andrew_, fancy seeing you here?" Emmy smirked.

"The feeling's mutual, _Emily_," Drew matched her tone and used her full name.

"Oh shut up cabbage brain," Emmy stepped aside and Lia waltzed in first, running straight up to Emmy's cat Mimi and petting her on the head.

"Is your dad home?" Drew asked.

"Nope, he's in Goldenrod City for the whole week working, so I'm housesitting and looking after my Mimi-boo," she smiled.

"_Mimi-boo_?" Drew questioned, amusement clear on his face.

"She's too frickin cute, I had to nickname her," Emmy gushed.

"You, my friend, need to get out more," he sniggered.

Emmy spun around and picked up Mimi.

"Attack this foul cabbage head, cat!" she ordered, but Mimi just blinked at her, confused.

Lia was lying on the couch, giggling at Emmy's antics. She wasn't doing it for Lia's entertainment, it was just Emmy's way. Her personality outshone most others.

"As if that tiny fluffball could attack me," Drew shook his head with a smirk.

That smirk was soon wiped off his face, however.

"What the fuck?" Drew yelled, stumbling back onto the rug. He held the growling kitty in his arms as he tried to process what just happened.

"Watch that mouth of yours, Andrew. You don't want Lia picking it up," she grinned.

"You...why did you just do that?" he spluttered.

"Do what?" she replied, her tone far too innocent.

**"_You just threw your cat at my face!_"**

Oh, it was never a dull moment with Emmy around.

"So? You're making me sound like a crazy cat lady!" she huffed.

"I think you are a crazy cat lady," Drew grinned, evading Emmy's attempted shove.

Mimi decided to wriggle out of Drew's arms and she walked away, completely unfazed by what had happened.

Emmy sat down next to Lia on the sofa, MTV News was on tv and she cast her eyes to it.

"Drew, look!" she spoke almost immediately. Drew looked at the screen and his eyes were angered by what he was seeing.

"So are Brendan Birch and May Maple more than just friends? Perhaps so, as our insiders have seen them together on their trip home from the lush Ever Grande City,"

The screen then shot to different pictures of Brendan and May together, and Drew couldn't believe what he was looking at.

Seeing her with Brendan was one thing, but she looked different somehow.

They continued to speculate, making Drew's stomach churn. He hated it.

Why was she with him?

Was it just payback for his _stupid_ fling with Brianna?

"Drew! That red-eyed weirdo has your girl!" Emmy shrieked.

"She was never my girl and she never will be," Drew looked away and sighed.

"But you want her to be," Emmy smiled sadly. "Drew, do you like May?"

"Well it's not like it matters, she's dating that fu...frickin...jerk!" Drew let out, angrily.

"Great job cutting out the cursing, you're learning well," Emmy smiled, "But the news said it was only speculation...Drew? You know more than you're letting on, don't you."

He sighed - there was no point in lying, Emmy had known him for too long, she'd suss him out immediately.

"They've been dating for two weeks, May told me," Drew bit his lip and looked down.

"Ugh, no way! How dare this red-eyed weirdo even try to ruin my otp!" Emmy looked pissed off.

"Otp?" Drew questioned, unfamiliar with the term.

"One true pairing!" Lia beamed.

Drew narrowed his eyes at the honey-blonde. "You've been teaching her fangirl terms again, haven't you!"

"Calm down, over-protective big brother. Lia is my little fangirl-in-training, my apprentice, so knowing all of these terms is necessary if she wants to succeed in life," Emmy shot Lia a look, and she grinned back.

Drew glared at Emmy, but changed the subject slightly. "So May and I are your...one true pairing? That is really, really weird Em," he raised an eyebrow.

"You're not a fangirl, you don't understand our ways," Emmy grinned, a knowing smirk at her lips.

"I don't think I want to understand your ways," he shuddered at the thought.

This girl was crazy, but Drew was used to it.

"I think that we need to make a plan," Emmy's eyes lit up.

"No we do not!" Drew replied quickly, shaking his head.

But when Emmy had an idea, it was pointless to try and stop her.

"Yes we do, it'll get you your girl back! I think we ought to call it _**Operation:** Kill the red-eyed weirdo_."

"Kill? That's a tad violent, don't you think..." Drew laughed.

"Fine, I'll destroy him! _**Operation:** Destroy the red eyed weirdo!_"

Drew gulped at Emmy's determination.

"But we can't break them up, just like that!" Drew continued to doubt this idea, which made Emmy approve of it even more.

"All we need is some dirt on him. Something to drive May away from him," Emmy nodded.

"Is Drewy getting a girlfriend?" Lia asked.

Before Drew could respond, Emmy spoke up.

"Yes, Drewy is getting a girlfriend!" Emmy beamed at the six year old girl.

"Em!" Drew whined.

"Is she pretty?" the young girl asked.

"She's gorgeous," Emmy smiled.

"Oh..." Lia turned away for a moment.

Drew knelt down next to her. "What's wrong Lia?" he asked, after seeing her crestfallen expression.

"What if you like her more than you like me..." she whispered.

"Look Li, you'll always be my special girl. Besides, I'm not getting a girlfriend right now and I'm not going through with this _plan_ of Emmy's," Drew cut off his speech to give the honey-blonde a look of annoyance. She brushed it off with a smile.

"Aw but why not Drew, you're being so boring. Do you really want May dating somebody else? I can see it in your eyes, you tensed up when those pictures of them together appeared on the news," Emmy shrugged.

"May can do whatever she damn well pleases, if she likes Brendan then that's just fine. We were nothing more than friends anyway." Drew continued to doubt himself and May ever being together, and this encouraged Emmy to plan further.

The girl brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face and thought hard.

But she came up with nothing.

She didn't even know May, and she had no idea how to break up a relationship.

"You're far too stubborn Drew," she sighed.

"Whatever," Drew muttered as he got up, heading for the bathroom upstairs.

Drew had given Lia his phone to play on the games, but she was spooked by the sudden noise that it made.

"Eek!" she squealed, dropping it harmlessly on the couch.

Emmy's ears pricked, that was a notification for a text message.

She swiped the phone off the couch and sat herself down.

Lia snuggled into her and Emmy put her arm around her.

The text was from a girl named Dawn.

Dawn... Emmy thought, trying to remember where she'd seen that name before.

Then it hit her. _Berlitz_.

Dawn Berlitz, from _Tiger Rose_!

But why would she be texting Drew?

Emmy wasn't one for reading other people's private texts, but she had to make an exception this time.

...

**_Drew, I really need your help. Video call me and I'll explain everything, it's about May and Brendan. —D_**

...

"Em! What are you doing?" Drew asked, standing in the hallway.

Emmy flickered a smile. "Read it," she walked over and handed over his phone, he scanned his eyes across the text.

"About May and Brendan? What could she be talking about..?"

"You can call her from my house if you want," Emmy suggested, turning back around and sitting with Lia.

"Thanks, Em," Drew smiled and headed back upstairs, heading for the phone in her dad's room.

He called Dawn's number and she answered almost straight away.

She looked lost in thought, her hair in a fishtail plait at the side of her head.

"Hey, Berlitz?" Drew called.

Dawn blinked, an embarrassed smile on her face for zoning out on him. "Hey Drew,"

"So, what have you got to tell me?" he asked.

And with that, Dawn began to explain everything.

"So Brendan's the one behind all of this shit in the papers?" Drew was pissed.

"Yeah, but that's not all. Drew..." Dawn looked uncomfortable, shifting a little, "...there's more. He's manipulating May and using her as his source of information, he doesn't love her!"

Drew let out a low, hostile growl.

_How **dare** he!_

"That fucking bastard! Dawn, you have to tell her what's going on," the anger flared in Drew's eyes.

"We...already told her, or should I say, Leaf told her. We found out from her," Dawn looked down.

"Leaf? How did she know about this?"

Dawn spoke up quickly, "That's an entirely different story that I'll tell you in a minute, but right now I need to ask a favour."

Drew thought he heard the front door open from downstairs, but he turned his attentions back to Dawn and nodded his head. "Ask away."

As Dawn began to explain her proposal, a smile formed on Drew's face.

He was already in with the plan. Drew would do anything if it meant keeping his May away from Brendan's cold, unloving grasp any longer.

At the end of Dawn's long and heartbreaking explanation about the events as of late, Drew found himself in shock.

How could Brendan be so heartless as to do such a thing?

Going off the information from Dawn, it was clear that May adored Brendan.

And that's not even the worst part.

According to Dawn, May had undergone a complete personality change and she hadn't even realised it.

She yelled at Leaf for trying to tell her, and then she slapped her for saying that he kissed her to mess with her head.

_Slapped_.

The May Maple he knew and loved would never do that.

Another thing that the blunette mentioned was that she hadn't been playing guitar lately. Drew couldn't imagine May without it. She took it everywhere. It was always there, in her dressing room, in the girls' room, etc. She always had it with her.

But now it was probably lying, dusty in the corner of her room in Petalburg while she was making out with a damn rapist.

Drew clenched his fists, having to resist the urge to punch the wall.

Why did Brendan have to take his perfect country girl and warp her into a bitch?

He hated it, but he had to face the facts. May loved Brendan.

But Drew loved May.

"I have to go Berlitz, talk later?" Drew mustered a smile, but Dawn saw right through him.

"Alright. Are you sure you still want to go through with the plan tomorrow?" she asked.

"I have to," Drew sighed. "I need to speak to her,"

"If anyone can talk some sense into her, then it has to be you." Dawn quickly smiled. "Bye Drew,"

She disconnected and Drew stood up, bounding for the stairs.

He headed down, and to his surprise, he realised there was somebody else down there too.

He smiled as he realised who it was. He then saw that Lia had vacated to the rug, playing with Mimi, as the couch was taken.

A smirk crept up to his face as he walked to the front of the sofa to see Emmy who was lay down, her eyes daintily closed. But she was snuggled up to somebody.

He had his arms around the honey blonde, holding her close. When he saw Drew walk by, he loosened his grip on her immediately.

"Oh! Hey Drew...didn't expect to see you there..." he laughed nervously, running a hand through his dark brown hair.

Drew smirked arrogantly and folded his arms. "Mike, I'm not an idiot. Why were you hugging Emmy like that?"

Mike tripped on his words. "Well...Uh...you see...she um...she wants me to."

Drew started laughing. "She wants you to? She's asleep, _dumbass_!"

"Whatever!" Mike growled, and this surprised Drew a lot.

Although not as much as Emmy, Mike was a funny person to be around, and more importantly, he was always able to take a joke.

But why not now? He looked hugely pissed with the chartreuse teen.

"Hey...I'm sorry ok?" Drew quickly apologised, but Mike wasn't listening.

He was zoned out completely, his darkly coloured eyes cast downwards at the sleeping girl's head on his chest.

Drew finally put two and two together.

"Hey Mike...do you, uh, _like_ Emmy?" he asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know..." he sighed. "Besides, why would she like me back? Since you came home, it's like she's forgotten about me or something because she's always with you!"

Drew was shocked, he had no idea Mike felt that way.

"But I thought you said you didn't want a relationship?" Drew questioned. He knew Mike could be a bit of a player at times.

He smiled a little sadly. "I guess things change. Not that she'd date me anyway, I'm just a best friend in her eyes."

"Why don't you tell her that you like her? You might be surprised by what she says back," Drew suggested, a smile on his face.

"I can't do that..." Mike muttered. "She'll reject me like all the other guys who've asked her out, and it'll ruin our friendship."

"But you'll never know until you try," Drew sighed, his eyes darting to Emmy as she began to stir.

"Oh no...did I fall asleep?" Emmy yawned, her stomach flipping slightly as she realised that she was leaning on Mike.

"Yeah you did..." Mike replied.

But little did Mike know that Emmy wasn't sleeping.

There was a small silence for a moment and Drew had to bite his lip not to laugh. Mike and Emmy were both acting so awkward, looking at each other, blushing, and then looking away again.

Drew had never seen Emmy at a loss for words before. It was nice.

"Em, I really need to ask you a favour," Drew spoke quickly, remembering why he ran down those stairs in the first place.

Emmy yawned, but she still kept her head on Mike's chest. "Yeah?"

"I feel so bad for asking, but could you come over to my place tomorrow and take care of Lia?" he asked.

"And where might you be going tomorrow?" Emmy asked in a light, teasing voice. Mimi leapt up onto Emmy, so she picked up her front paws, getting her to do a silly dance while Mike smirked behind her.

Drew grinned, his signature smirk finding its way back to him.

"Let's just say, I have a plan."

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Inspiration is my best friend ^_^ I'm finding it so much easier to just sit and write chapters now, so yup. I hope the chapter wasn't too terrible...

As for the sequel idea...well. You'll just have to see what happens at the end of the story, not that it's coming up anytime soon. There's still a lot to come.

Squeee. IM SO FREAKING EXCITED BECAUSE ONE DIRECTION ARE REPORTEDLY GOING TO SING WMYB AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF THE OLYMPICS AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED OR NOT BUT I'M EXCITED ANYWAY. LOL.

Those boys have gone from the bottom of the x factor stairs to the top of the charts, and I feel like a proud mother;') And it weren't for them, I would never have gotten the inspiration for this story either :)

So if you happen to watch the closing ceremony and see 1D sing, just know that, at that very moment, I will be screaming the house down and dancing around my living room.

That's all, please leave a review if you can, I'll well and truly love you forever^.^ And if you could read my other story **Codename Kitty**, and my oneshot **Get the Girl**, I would be very grateful also :)

Now I'm off to watch the opening ceremony for the olympics, but knowing England we'll probably screw it up or something XD

Love, Tay x


	21. Chapter 21: For The Better

Chapter 21: For The Better

I'M SO SORRY GUYS BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO REPLY TO ANY REVIEWS (i'll explain why at the A/N at the end of the chapter)

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> 私は何も所有しな (Don't Japanese letters look so pretty?)

* * *

><p>...<p>

**Chapter 21: For The Better**

...

* * *

><p><strong>-Monday June 9th-<strong>

"I hate flying," Misty grumbled as she grabbed hers and Leaf's suitcases.

She turned around to find the brunette sitting on the floor cross legged, not a care in the world about what people thought about her.

"What are you doing? Get up!" the redhead hissed, Leaf had been in an odd mood since they arrived back in Kanto.

"Yes, Mother," Leaf sighed, rolling her eyes as she got to her feet. She grabbed her suitcase from Misty, but the cerulean eyed girl couldn't help but notice the look of anxiety on Leaf's face.

"Leafy, please don't be scared. Everything will be fine," Misty smiled.

"But what if it's not fine?" she muttered. "Misty, I can't do it. I can't see him! I don't want to see him!"

"Look! Think of this as a good thing. You can finally resolve your problems, apologise to one another," Misty soothed her, wrapping her arms around her. "Maybe you can tell him how you feel about him too."

Leaf was a quivering mess, seemingly unable to stand on her own two feet.

"I can't do that, besides he's probably over me already, moved on to the next girl!" she continued her negativity, trying to compose herself.

"I doubt it," Misty sighed.

"You don't know him like I do," Leaf muttered as they broke the hug and made their way through the security parts of the airport, it didn't take too long.

"What do you mean by that?" Misty asked after a while, as the two of them headed towards the exit of the airport, towards the cab that was waiting for them.

"I know Gary," she sighed, "And I also know that if something goes seriously wrong for him, he changes. You saw it, when I rejected him that time. He wanted to see me and you wouldn't let him, so he used violence to try and get his way."

Misty glanced around the airport. The walls were a faint saffron colour, in relation to the city. "But he won't be over you, Leaf. Why would you think that?"

"I have this feeling that something is going to go wrong when I see him. I know it."

"Rest assured, it won't. Just think of the good points of going home," Misty suggested.

Leaf thought, shivering a little as the cold wind picked up. It may have been June but when the sun had set, it may as well have been December.

Were there really any good points of going home?

The only thing she could think of was getting away from May for a week.

Leaf didn't hate May, she hated what she had become.

But sooner or later, smarmy Brendan would slip up. Then he wouldn't be able to fool her any longer.

That was what she was hoping for, anyway. Leaf watched Misty put her case in the back of the cab and she did the same, before jumping inside.

"Misty...have you noticed a change in May?" Leaf asked Misty, trying her hardest to sound casual. However, Misty knew that the pitch of her voice changed ever so slightly when she spoke May's name.

"Yes, I have," she shrugged. "She's not herself, I can tell."

The conversation ended there, as the girls had a quiet ride back to Pallet Town from Saffron City. Leaf asked Misty if she wanted to go back to Cerulean first, but she declined the offer with a smile. "Ash told me to come back to Pallet with you, although I'm not so sure why."

Leaf secretly envied Misty. She had no fear, she wasn't scared when Ash asked her out, and she didn't run away and hide.

Like _she_ did.

And hell, did she regret it.

Leaf had her head positioned on Misty's shoulder, and she glanced up, into her eyes.

They were sparkling blue, she was so excited. She hadn't seen Ash in what seemed an eternity, and she longed for him.

Leaf could see it in her eyes.

Then she started to ponder on the 'what if's'.

What if she said yes to Gary, would her eyes be shining like that too?

Would she be excited, giggling with Misty about seeing their boyfriends again?

Boyfriend... The word felt foreign on Leaf's tongue when it came to thinking about Gary.

She'd had boyfriends before, but it was never anything serious.

If she had only said yes, maybe it could have been serious.

But she could ponder all she wanted, she turned him down, many times, and she was too stubborn to realise the feelings that she had for him.

She was sure that it was simply too late.

A lone tear trickled down her cheek as she sighed into Misty's shoulder.

...

Leaf felt physically sick. She and Misty had just reached Pallet Town, and all the memories had come flooding back, hitting her like a ton of bricks as they headed for Ash's house.

Everything had a story behind it. Something that she and Gary did together, a place they travelled to when they were younger. Back when they were best friends, not an awkward situation waiting to happen.

The cab came to a halt and Leaf cursed under her breath. She didn't want to get out of the cab.

"Misty..."

"Don't be stupid. Get out of the cab," Misty refused to let her even finish her sentence, as she saw this coming.

"But-"

"Get out of the cab!" the redhead didn't like to raise her voice, but Leaf just wouldn't listen.

The brunette said nothing, she just reluctantly shuffled along her seat and dropped herself out of the cab.

Misty took charge, taking the cases out of the boot of the cab and thanking the driver (pre-paid by Dexter) for taking them home. Saffron was quite a while away from Pallet.

The cab drove away, and Leaf was instantly hesitant.

"You'll be okay, promise," Misty patted her on the shoulder.

She knocked on the door of Ash's house, but was surprised by the lack of answer. She pushed the door handle to find that it was unlocked.

"That's odd..." Leaf muttered, keeping her eyes focused on the seemingly empty house.

Where were Ash and Delia?

Leaf walked inside, with Misty following. Although the inside was pitch black, the brunette had been in this house enough times to know where she was going.

"Hello?" she called out.

No answer.

"That's weird," Misty frowned, "Ash said he'd-"

"_**SURPRISE!**_"

Leaf and Misty screamed as the lights burst on and people jumped up from where they were seemingly hidden.

Leaf felt her anxiety almost melt away. Although her heart was beating wildly thanks to the scare, the smiling faces in front of her let her know that she was well and truly loved.

Very few, but priceless smiling faces. Her mother Rachel, Ash, Delia, Professor Oak, his intern Amy, Ash's cousin Red, Daisy, her fiancée Liam, and a few more familiar faces.

But somebody wasn't there.

She brightened up, as if his absence meant nothing to her. "Aw! I missed you all so much, it's great to be back home," she smiled.

As Leaf was being fawned over by everybody in the room, Misty stood by herself, her eyes focused on only one person in this room.

His hair was the colour of a ravens feather and his smile was uplifting. He had his hands slipped inside his jean pockets ever so casually, but Misty could see the excitement in his eyes.

"Hey Mist," he smiled, breaking the ice.

Misty let out a surprise giggle, something she hadn't done in a while, and she flew over to him, throwing her arms around him.

He pulled her closer and just held her, never wanting to let her go again.

She lifted up her head, and it didn't take much for him to kiss her on the lips.

It wasn't forced, it was loving. Misty found herself smiling into the kiss as it became much more heated.

But they'd forgotten where they were.

A small laugh came from Leaf, and Misty broke the kiss, much to Ash's dismay.

She blushed peony as she met eyes with Delia. "Oh I'm so sorry! I just walk into your house and don't even bother to introduce myself..." she babbled, nothing like the cool persona she was.

To her relief, Delia just laughed, her laugh light and twinkly. "Don't worry Misty, it's understandable."

She blushed even more, silently cursing herself at this godawful first impression. She'd let herself get too lost in the moment with Ash.

Ash entwined his hand in hers and Delia smiled adoringly.

"Anyway, it's lovely to meet you Misty...I think I like you already," Delia nodded.

"It's great to meet you too, but why so?" Misty found herself asking.

"Because I haven't seen my Ashy this happy in a long time. You're here, and he's happier than I've ever seen him!"

Ash flushed a little at the old nickname, but he let it go.

He was so happy to see Misty again, nothing was going to bring him down.

And so time quickly passed, in celebration of Leaf's return home and Misty's welcome to Pallet Town.

Misty yawned delicately, Ash's arm slinked around her waist. She'd been introducing herself and chatting with everybody, and now she was standing with Ash, Leaf, and Gary's sister Daisy.

"You two are so cute," Leaf smiled brightly at Misty and Ash playing around together, but Misty knew her heart wasn't in it.

"I don't want to be cute!" Ash whined.

Misty giggled at her boyfriend. "Hey Daisy, where's Gary?" she asked, the same question that had been crossing on Leaf's mind for quite a while now.

Daisy sighed. Nobody was listening to their conversation, not even Liam, who was away talking to some other people. She continued in a quiet voice, glancing over at her grandfather every now and again.

"Can we talk about this outside? It's too loud in here..." Daisy then led Ash, Leaf and Misty out of the door.

After gently closing the door, she sighed. "I haven't said anything, but I'm so worried about him," she bit her lip.

"What? What's going on, Dais?" Leaf spoke immediately, her voice full of genuine concern.

Ash answered for her, "He's out of control. He won't listen to any of us and well, all I want is my best friend back..."

Misty and Leaf exchanged worried glances.

"Out of control? What do you mean by that..?" Misty asked.

Daisy shook her head. "He was fine a few weeks ago but now he's just...he's uncontrollable."

Ash continued on, "We never see him. All he does is go out and get drunk with his so-called 'friends', and then he comes back later with a mean hangover. Sometimes he doesn't come back till the next day."

Leaf's stomach did somersaults inside her. She knew exactly what Ash meant by him not coming home until the next day, and this made her angry.

Perhaps it made her jealous too, that he was probably out right now, partying with sluts.

"Mist, are you coming back inside?" Ash asked, and they soon left to go back in the house. Daisy followed them inside, clearly still worried for him.

The brunette was about to go with them, until she heard a voice from behind her.

"Leaf!"

* * *

><p><strong>-Tuesday, June 10th-<strong>

**((Dawn's POV))**

The minute I heard the doorbell, I squealed and practically ran to the front door.

When I flung it open, the person standing there wasn't who I thought it was going to be. My face fell slightly, he noticed too.

"Hey..." My heart twisted as I looked ahead, at the figure standing on the other side of my front door.

The boy that I once looked at with shining eyes. The boy who made me smile. The boy who I cheated on.

"Hi Dawn...look, I know you probably don't want to see me right now..." he sighed, looking down.

"Please don't think that, Lucas..." I replied with hesitance.

"But it's true, isn't it. I saw your smile when you opened that door...until you looked at me, that is," he sighed, kicking a tiny pebble with his shoe.

"I was expecting...someone else..." I muttered.

"I already know," he shrugged with a sad smile, moving slightly out of the way. "He's over there."

My eyes trailed down to where he was standing, obviously watching Lucas and I from afar with curiosity in his eyes.

"Lucas...I-"

"It's fine, go with him," he put on the brightest smile I'd ever seen, but it was killing him inside.

I was on the verge of tears. "Why are you still not mad at me? I don't deserve your kindness after what I did..."

"Dawn, don't. All I want is for you to be happy, so please don't make this anymore difficult than it has to be."

I swallowed hard. "Alright...I just want to tell you one more thing. Thank you so much for being there for me all those years ago, when I had nobody else to turn to. You were the one who gave me the confidence to audition for SingOff, you always did tell me I was a good singer." Tears began to pour out of my sea-blue eyes as I thought back.

It was painful, but I needed to tell him. "And because of that, you helped me to find three girls who I love. We were complete strangers, brought together by our love for music, and I never would have met May, Leaf and Misty if it weren't for you."

Lucas smiled. "See? I told you everything was going to get better."

"I'm glad you came to see me, this must be so difficult..." I looked down at the floor.

"If you truly love somebody, then all you want is their happiness. If I can't give you that, then I have to let you go," Lucas blinked away his own tears.

"Someday you'll find the perfect girl, she'll make you so happy. Everything will get better," I smiled, quoting his exact four words from all those years ago in that last sentence.

"I hope so," he smiled, giving me a hug. "I know you're a famous popstar now, but I hope you won't forget about me."

"As if!" I giggled.

He gave me one last smile, before walking down the porch steps with his hands in his pockets. He walked past Paul and muttered a few words to him that were inaudible to me.

As Lucas walked away, Paul turned to me with a smile on his face.

Smile. Paul was smiling.

I couldn't keep myself from him any longer. I ran down the porch steps and flew into his arms, my tears full of so many emotions.

My heart fluttered as he held me, I'd missed him so much it hurt.

I was about to speak, until I noticed that Paul had his attentions focused on something else.

He was watching Lucas walk down the road alone. He turned around, looked both Paul and I in the eye, and then nodded with a smile.

It was like a nod of approval.

He then dried his eyes before turning around and walking away for good.

Paul and I turned our attentions back to each other, and he gently wiped a loose tear off my cheek.

"Troublesome," he muttered with a smile.

"That's me," I giggled. Before I knew it, he captured my lips with his own.

This one kiss made me regret nothing. I wanted nothing more than to stay in this moment with Paul forever.

But all good things must come to an end, eventually.

"I missed you so much..." I grinned.

"Hm," he shrugged casually.

I put a hand to my hip and pouted. "You didn't miss me?"

I knew he couldn't resist my pout.

"Perhaps I did..." he grinned as he opened the car door for me. I sat down while he walked around to the other side and got in the drivers seat.

I had no idea where we were going, but Paul said he wanted to take me somewhere. I trusted him enough to let him surprise me.

"By the way...what did Lucas tell you, when he walked past you earlier?"

Paul was slightly hesitant to reply. "He...he told me to take care of you."

"Oh," I replied back with a slight smile. I wasn't sure what else to say.

"I'm surprised you haven't asked me about what I said in response."

That's odd...I don't recall him saying anything after Lucas spoke to him.

"What did you say?" I asked.

Paul smiled, although he kept his eyes on the road. "I swore to him that I would."

Dawn found herself grinning stupidly. "Thank you...this has been really hard, but being here with you right now makes me regret nothing," I smiled.

It took Paul everything he had to focus on driving instead of me, but he glanced at me with a smile.

I liked his smile, it suited him.

"Likewise Troublesome."

I let out a giggle in response. "So where are you taking me? Come on, you have to tell me. I could accuse you of kidnap."

Paul just rolled his eyes, but he didn't lose his smile. "It's a surprise."

I huffed and pouted, but he still wouldn't budge. Damn.

He's so stubborn.

_**Opposites distract**_

_**We fall between the cracks**_

_**Forget about each other**_

_**Till we get each other back**_

* * *

><p><strong>-Monday-<strong>

"Leaf!"

The brunette gulped. She knew exactly who was behind her, she'd known him long enough.

"What do you want?" she snapped, in a tone so cold she surprised herself.

Gary looked shocked, raising his eyebrows. "Look, I know I left the house on really bad terms with you, but do you really still hate me?"

Leaf grumbled under her breath, her nasty gaze locked on the auburn haired IDIOT standing in front of her.

She wasn't going to waste her time throwing insults at him. As satisfying as it would be, it wasn't going to help.

"I'm surprised you even showed up tonight, I'm sure there's something else you'd rather be doing. Or should I say, someONE else."

She kept her piercing glare on him, as she slightly pulled down her shorts that bore the Unova flag, they'd risen slightly too high.

Gary finally caught on. "Has Ashy-boy been telling you all of this?" he sighed.

"He's worried about you. So is your sister! Remember them?" she spat.

"Oh shut up Leaf!" he barked, spooking her. She wasn't used to him raising his voice like that.

She did the yelling, while he took all of her insults and brushed them to one side.

Why was it different now?

Gary ran a hand through his hair. "Wait - why are you assuming that I've been sleeping around?" he asked.

"Because Ash told me that you'd go out at night and wouldn't come home until the next day. It doesn't take a genius to work out why," she folded her arms, her stomach churning at the thought.

Gary smiled to himself, this could work. "So you figured it out. But tell me this, Leaf; why do you care?" he asked, in a horribly patronising tone.

"I think you'll find that I don't care!" she yelled. "Why should I care if you're sleeping around with other girls anyway?!"

Gary just laughed, he just couldn't take this seriously. "You never were a good liar. Face it Leaf, you're jealous." He was going to stop there, but he couldn't resist adding in another line. "I bet you wish it was you, huh."

Leaf felt as if she was on the brink of explosion, her face resembled the colour of a strawberry.

How dare he?!

"You...you bastard, Gary Oak!" Leaf screamed, heading straight for him. She lashed out, bashing his chest with her fists in pure frustration. It wasn't hurting him, but her screaming was going to turn him deaf if she carried on.

He rolled his eyes and lifted the brunette girl over his shoulder, ignoring her violent protests as he walked away.

"Put me down you pathetic, stupid, fucking player! I hate you! I hate you so much!" she struggled under his hold.

Every insult was hitting him hard, but he knew she didn't mean it.

"You're going to wake the neighbours, will you shut up!" he hissed. He turned his head around to look at her, but he noticed that her shorts had risen whilst he was carrying her.

He was trying to be mad at her, but he couldn't resist teasing her as he lightly slapped her ass.

Leaf tensed up, before mouthing off again, pounding on his back with her fists. "You stupid pervert!" she screamed.

"I'm still looking," he chirped happily. "Sheesh you look like a slut, pull your shorts down. All the way if you'd prefer."

Gary was slowly beginning to enjoy this, and he was thankful that he was able to stop the argument and change it around. He just chuckled as he walked up to his house, opening the door.

This was the psychotic Leaf he knew and loved. As much as she tried, she just couldn't stay upset with him.

"**I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!**" Leaf roared as he carelessly put her down headfirst on his couch.

"What did I do?" he asked her with a smirk, as he let her back him into a corner.

"Do you even need to ask that question? You are so infuriating!"

However, Gary's smirk was wiped off his face when Leaf kicked him.

She didn't just kick him anywhere either.

"_Fuck_!" he cursed as his knees gave way and he fell to the floor in pain. _That_ was something that he hadn't been expecting.

She just laughed at him. "Aw baby, are you hurt?"

"Yes I am hurt, you bitch!" Gary growled back from the floor, and Leaf continued on laughing.

She knelt down beside him, smiling sweetly. "Call me a bitch again and I'll make you physically unable to father any children, got it?"

Oh, he got it.

"What would your mother say, if she found out that you were kicking a guy where a guy should not be kicked?" he mocked her with a small laugh afterwards.

"Whatever Gary," she rolled her eyes. "You deserved it anyway."

"How did I deserve that?!" he protested.

"Because you've been a complete idiot while I've been gone."

Gary smiled charmingly. "Whether I sleep with anybody or not, it's my business. I don't understand why it's bothering you so much," he spoke the last part in a sarcastic tone that seemed to anger Leaf.

"As if. They were probably desperate anyway, they'd have to be to want to sleep with you!" she laughed.

He seemed to have recovered more from Leaf's deadly kick as he smirked. "What did you just say?"

She smiled up at him. "Anyone would have to be desperate to want to sleep with you."

"Hm. I wouldn't exactly label you as the desperate type Leaf, but if that's what you think..."

It took the brunette a few moments to register what he was saying. When she did realise, she blushed terribly and scowled.

"Oh I bet you think you're so great, don't you!" she snapped at a grinning Gary.

"You can't hide your feelings forever, you stubborn little girl. I've missed you like hell these past few weeks," Gary looked down at the floor.

Leaf let out a cruel laugh. "What? I'm pretty sure all those girls took your mind off me!"

Gary said nothing, he just looked her in the eyes. He wanted to figure her out.

He just didn't understand. Leaf could somehow go from being upset and depressed, to extremely angry, and then she would unknowingly flirt with him for a few moments as if nothing had ever happened at all.

Her moods changed so quickly, if something didn't go her way then you might as well guarantee World War III.

This should really have put Gary off her, but he wanted her even more.

And now she was trying to start another argument, but Gary refused to let that happen.

"Come on Leaf, please don't be like that," Gary spoke in a soft voice.

Much to his relief, the brunette's expression softened. "Like what?"

Gary sighed. "Those girls meant nothing to me. I'm a guy, I need to be satisfied every once in a while, you know. And if somebody keeps refusing to be my girlfriend, then I have to look elsewhere," he couldn't resist a slight smirk at the end there.

Leaf grumbled, unhappy. "Huh. I'm probably better than any of those sluts anyway..."

Gary moved inches closer. "Prove it," he murmured.

Leaf blushed and looked down at the floor. She couldn't deny it, she liked him.

But something was stopping her from kissing his lips right there and then.

"G...Gary! I, um, I really have to-"

She said no more, however, as Gary put his lips to hers and kissed her.

Although she was slightly hesitant about it at first, she found herself kissing him back for the first time.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, and she let out a small giggle.

Gary was so happy. This was the moment he'd been dreaming of when he first started to have feelings for Leaf.

He never thought in a million years that she'd like him back, especially after everything that happened between them.

Leaf broke the kiss, much to Gary's dismay, but she left her arms draped over his shoulders. "I guess there's no going back now, huh," she smiled.

Gary said nothing, he just began to plant kisses on her neck. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.

Leaf knew she'd made the right decision.

She didn't know it before, but there were only really two options for her.

To ignore Gary, or to love Gary.

Fate refused to let them be just friends.

Gary stopped planting kisses and looked at her. "By the way, there's something I need to tell you."

"Yeah?"

"There were never any girls. I haven't been sleeping around and I haven't been out getting drunk either," he flashed a grin.

"What?! Then why did you say-"

"Because it worked. I wanted to see if you liked me back, and you did. You got jealous when you found out from Ashy-boy, and you stopped being so _fucking_ stubborn too, thank god."

"So you planned this whole thing?!" Leaf whined, hitting him.

"Yeah. Daisy came up with the plan actually, she and Ash told you about me doing all of those things, while I just waited outside for her to go back in the house. Ash managed to drag Misty back in too, and then I got you," Gary smiled. "You're not mad, are you?"

"I feel as if I should be mad at you for making me believe that," Leaf grumbled, "And I still haven't forgiven you for slapping my ass either!"

"Okay so that wasn't planned. But it looked so good in those shorts!" he whined.

"You're such a pervert."

Gary didn't say anything for a moment, he just smiled to himself. "Hey Leaf..."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes?"

"Do you by any chance still have that outfit you wore from your Moulin Rouge performance?" he asked, in the most innocent voice that Leaf had ever heard.

She was about to yell at him, but she decided to tease him instead. It would work better.

"Maybe...what's it to you?" she asked, a smirk on her face that Gary knew all too well.

"Perhaps I want to see you wearing it, you know?" he cocked his head to one side and tried to plead with his eyes.

Leaf refused, however. "Nice try mister. You're not getting me in that outfit!" she sang cheerfully.

"I will one day," he whispered into her ear, sending chills down her spine. He then smirked before kissing her again.

Leaf found herself almost melting into the kiss.

How she ever rejected him before, she had no idea. She cursed herself for wasting so much time and crying so many tears over that boy.

She finally knew what she wanted. She didn't know whether she was officially with Gary or not, but she knew that she liked the taste of his lips on hers.

This time it was Gary who broke the kiss, and he put his arms around her.

"Are...are you crying?" she asked softly.

"No!" Gary scoffed immediately. "Okay maybe, but-"

"I think it's really cute."

Gary blushed a little, rolling his eyes. "I just...I'm just so happy you're here with me right now."

Leaf smiled sadly. "I'm so sorry about the way I acted. It was so immature and I almost lost you..." Tears poured down her face at the thought of that.

Gary wiped away her tears, flashing a smile. "You never would have lost me. I was always going to keep fighting for you."

"Why?" Leaf asked

"I know you have the worst temper, you cry over the slightest of things and you're a drama queen, but all of this makes me want you more," he smiled. "You're one hell of a challenge, but I accept. I love you Leaf Felicia Green."

Leaf hated her middle name, and Gary knew it, but that didn't stop her smile. "I love you too Gary Samuel Oak, I always did. I was just too dense and childish to believe it."

As he held her, Leaf then made a secret vow to herself. No longer would she be that scared little girl who runs away from her problems.

_Never again._

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Done! AW I TOTALLY LOVED WRITING THAT LAST PART YAYS. All is ok in the oldrivalshipping department again and Leaf finally sees sense. yay c:

I was going to make them argue some more but I wanted to write some nice stuff for this chapter, so I did! Did any of you believe the plan or did you suss it out from the beginning?

More Ikari in the next chapter (I have decided) and maybe Drew will pop up as well ;)

BY THE WAY, I won't be able to update anything for at least ten days because I'm going to Cyprus really early tomorrow morning (i have to get up at 4am, wah) and I also probably won't be able to review any stories either, I'll have to get round to that when I get back home. I'm sorry I couldn't reply to the reviews, i loved each and every one of them but i really wanted to update before my holiday and i just didn't have the time..

And it turns out that I won't be at home for the closing ceremony tomorrow either. I was distraught. :'/

I'll probably have an update for **Codename Kitty** when I get home too, so watch out for that. I'm getting a bit of writers block for this one (again) but I'll try and finish the chapter while I'm away.

Reviews make me extremely happy because I love you all^_^

Love, Tay x


	22. Chapter 22: Dates Lead To Discoveries

I'm updating! Yay! Having the inspiration to write whilst being stuck in an airport for 13 hours is great for you guys, but not too great for me, I was damn tired :(( oh well.

In other news: I CANNOT BREATHE BECAUSE ALL TIME LOW ARE RELEASING THEIR NEW ALBUM ON OCTOBER 9TH. OH MA GAWD. I NEED IT NOW.

ok I'm done.

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><p><em>Replies to reviews:<em>

**theasianwonder** - Oh my gosh he is. I loved writing him to be all mature and understanding, it's better than making him jealous or psycho...oh but oh, still a little more Ikari cuteness to come! ^_^ Omg I felt so much better after writing the oldrival part. Although...there is still Daisy's wedding to come so we'll see how Amy reacts. aw thankyou! x3 I'm just glad you like them!

**MudkipLover33** - Usually, I'd say that I didn't know myself, but I've actually sort of planned it! ^_^ aw thanks a lot! :3

**Lil'MissEya** - I DIDN'T FORGET, DONT WORRY XD This chapter might contain contest...or not...

**EmeraldHeart12 **- thank you so much! ^_^

**Left-to-die **- Oh...then you'll probably have something bad to stay about this chapter...eheheh. Yeah, Lucas is sweet. I had to make him all nice and understanding, I mean half of the characters in this story are evil or something XD

**LittleWoman9497** - Aw I love both of those ships:3 They were well written? Thank you! ^_^ As to whether or not Drew just so happens to pop up...well ;) We'll just have to wait and see.

**eeveeluvr** - Aw I know! I had to make him sweet, seeing as though a lot of the other characters in this story are mean XD Both of those parts were really fun to write, aw:3

**Kaurz9802** - Ok so I just counted and there were like way over a hundred YES's. Something tells me you liked the last chapter;) That sounds insane! But awesome! Aw I'm glad you liked it so much because I honestly typed that part up in about 5 minutes or something. Writing oldrival just seems natural to me, I LOVE IT SO MUCH 8D Well...um, like I told you in that pm, it's not going to be as easy as that BUT WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. You'll see what I mean by the end of this chapter... anyways. ^_^ A sequel is definitely on the cards, I just came up with an idea! :D my holiday was great yup yup but now I'm back to the rain, boo. It's throwing it down as I'm typing this too, no lie.

****Fprmr1**** - hehe I guess you could say I'm back! ^_^

****Guest ****- I guess you had the feels that he was just evil huh XD I didn't even intend to make him bad at the start so well done :') I just love Contest:3

****Guest**** - aw thankyou :3 you're really sweet ^_^ Oldrival is probably my favourite...but I love contestshipping just as much too. hm.

****SpecialxGirl**** - You're getting ahead of yourself there;) there's still Daisy's wedding to come.

****DorkyReader859**** - Yeah I know right! ^_^ But it's going to take a little while longer to get those two together, unfortunately :((( thanks! :)

**LoveLoverGrl** - Don't worry, she'll get the wake-up-call she needs:')

******SYKpop7 ******- Yes he was a bit...oh well, perverted Gary is very interesting to write 8D Aw I just had to make Lucas nice, there are too many mean character in this story. Don't worry, there's a chance that Drew could be in this chapter, you know ;)

******ContestshippingRose** ****- Don't worry, I definitely will finish both of them, guaranteed.

****xXxSaiyanPrincessxXx**** - I guess it's all good for now huh ^_^

**Random Visitor Girl **- Thanks! ^.^ Hehe me too, I just love All Time Low a lot.

**Star0890 **- thank you so much! ^_^

**KayJune** - aw thankyou lovely :3

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I do not own Pokemon! I don't own The Hunger Games either... ***sad face***

* * *

><p><em><strong>IMPORTANT NOTE: The end of the chapter is probably pushing Rated M, although I'm not changing the rating just for one part. This is just to warn you about it.<strong>_

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 22: Dates Lead To Discoveries**

**...**

* * *

><p><strong>-Monday-<strong>

The sun was beginning to set, hanging low in the skies of Hoenn.

"I hope you don't get seasick," Brendan murmured in his girlfriends ear.

May looked up at him and flashed a dazzling smile. "No I don't..."

"That's good, I don't want you throwing up on me or anything."

May was in Brendan's room and they were cuddling on his bed, she felt safe with his arms around her.

She pouted. "I wouldn't throw up on you even if I was prone to seasickness."

"I'm so flattered," he grinned, and received a playful hit on the arm.

"Shut up," she shook her head.

"You don't mean that..." he murmured, leaning in.

May pecked him on the lips. "That's true, I guess,"

Brendan seemed unimpressed by her light kiss. "Is that it?"

"For now," she simply grinned. She turned her attentions to the window and saw the empty deck, the waves near to it glistening like diamonds in the ocean.

But as pretty as it was, she wasn't looking at the ocean.

She was looking at the wooden deck. It was so dull, so plain, yet it meant so much to her.

It was the place where she'd first met Drew, all those weeks ago.

Then it hit her. _Drew_. She'd hardly spoken to Drew since she'd begun to date Brendan, and she hadn't even realised it.

With Brendan, they'd been in their own little bubble, their own little world. Everything revolved around him and her, no room for anybody else. Everything was so different now.

All of these realisations created, just by looking at a few planks of wood. She missed Drew, but she only had herself to blame for it.

As much as she loved being with Brendan, she hated the fact that everybody seemed to look at her in a different light. Why couldn't they just let her be happy?

Leaf even had the audacity to convince May to believe that he was using her, but the brunette refused to believe it.

But she knew that she was the one out of line. She knew that she shouldn't have reacted the way she did when Leaf told May that Brendan kissed her.

She was angry and she just couldn't believe her. Why would Brendan kiss Leaf? It made no sense, but May still regretted leaving the SingOff house on a bad note with her.

"What are you staring at?" Brendan asked, breaking her out of her thought trance.

"Oh...just the sky," she replied quickly. She couldn't exactly tell Brendan what she was looking at.

"So the sky is better looking than me?" he grinned a cat-like grin.

"Of course it is," she smirked with a giggle, pressing her lips to his.

This sparked a heated kiss between the two and May smiled into the kiss as he pulled her closer.

_This was what she wanted, wasn't it?_

May ignored her thoughts and continued to kiss Brendan.

But something else came and invaded her thoughts. An mental image of herself reading Drew's letter, the day after the boys had left the house.

Why was this coming to mind now?

Why was she thinking about Drew like this..?

But she stopped, breaking the kiss as Brendan tried to undo the buttons on her shirt.

"Don't," she gave him a look.

"Sorry. You just looked so beautiful, I couldn't help myself," he apologised.

May smiled. "I forgive you."

But even then, she still had somebody else on her mind...

* * *

><p><strong>-Tuesday-<strong>

"Oh, ok, we're in a field. Great going Paul."

Paul glanced over at Dawn as she stepped out of his car, she looked irritated and confused.

"You are so impatient," he rolled his eyes.

She started to talk again, but as soon as Paul took hold of her hand, she fell silent.

"That's better," he smirked, only to receive a hit on the shoulder.

"Shut up, plum head."

"Hn. How childish."

Dawn reacted by sticking her tongue out at him. "Whatever. Where are we going anyway?"

"It's a secret," he patronised her, earning a glare from the blunette.

"Paul!" she whined.

Paul shook his head with a smile. "Come on Troublesome."

Dawn decided to let him take her to wherever it was he was going. After all, it couldn't be anything bad.

It was a boiling hot day. However, when they reached a patch of trees, the shade quickly cooled them both down.

"Ok so why are we staring at trees?"

Paul couldn't help but laugh. This girl...she really was something.

He ignored her comment and walked through the trees.

Dawn was about to say something again, until she noticed that after following Paul, the trees seemed to split apart into a path.

"This place is _so_ pretty..." Dawn cooed. The sun was shining light on the green leaves, giving them a certain sparkle.

"Where does this path lead to?" she asked.

He sighed. "Why don't you stop asking questions and find out for yourself?"

"Yeah..." she trailed off.

"See, I'm right," he smirked.

Dawn just rolled her eyes, a smile curving at her lips.

When they reached the end of the strange path, Dawn's jaw flew open.

It was _gorgeous_. Grassy fields full of multi-coloured flowers leading up to a beautiful blue lake that even had its own small waterfall. Dragonflies skimmed quickly over the lake water and tiny sparrows flew up ahead.

It was like a scene from a movie.

"Wh...how did you find this place..?" Dawn was awestruck, staring around.

Paul shrugged as if it were nothing. "My brother and I found it when we were kids, and we called it the Spring Path. I haven't been here in awhile..."

"Have you ever told anyone about this place?"

Paul thought for a moment. "No, I haven't actually...you're the first."

Dawn grinned. She felt hugely honoured that Paul trusted her enough to bring her to such a secret place like this.

"Thank you," she beamed, before walking ahead to look around.

Eventually, she found herself at the lake. The water looked clean and clear, so she took off her shoes and sat by the waters edge, putting her feet in.

However, the tranquility didn't last too long.

"AHHHH!" Dawn screeched as a pair of hands came up from behind her and pushed her into the lake.

When she emerged, soaked from the water, she found herself glaring at Paul who was standing at the edge laughing.

"Not funny!" Dawn huffed as she hauled herself out of the lake, much to Paul's amusement.

"It was very funny," he smirked.

Paul then looked down. The white tank top she had been wearing had become almost transparent, and he found himself staring at her.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Dawn taunted. His cheeks' turned the palest of pink as he pushed up his eyes to see her face.

Her make up was ruined and her hair was messed up, yet she still managed to look so beautiful.

Dawn smirked at Paul. "Come in with me?" she asked.

"I'll pass."

Dawn sighed. "Please? I'll love you forever?"

Paul bit his lip. He honestly wanted nothing more than to go in the lake with Dawn right now.

He sighed, taking off his shoes.

"Are you sure you want go in the lake wearing those?" Paul asked, referring to her already-soaked tank top and skirt.

"Are you implying that you want me to take my clothes off, _Paulie_?" Dawn asked with a devilish grin.

Paul flushed from pink to red, that hadn't been what he meant at all but the idea didn't seem half bad...

_Oh god_ - he was turning into Gary.

"No! Uh...you know what I um...meant..." Paul found himself stuttering.

_Stuttering_. Paul had never done that in his life.

Dawn just laughed, Paul was super tease-able and seeing him get all embarrassed like that was just so cute.

"Aw I was just kidding..." Dawn smiled.

"I'm sure you were," Paul smirked, grabbing Dawn and pushing her towards the edge of the lake.

"No no no no!" she shrieked as he tried to push her in again.

But when he did, she grabbed hold of his shirt and pulled him into the water with her.

They both emerged at the top, Paul gasping for breath and Dawn laughing at how ridiculous Paul's hair looked when it was wet.

"Are you laughing at my hair, Troublesome?" Paul asked.

"Maybe..." Dawn smiled, putting her arms around his neck.

Their lips were just inches apart, and Paul just couldn't resist, leaning in and kissing her.

It wasn't too rough, nor was it too soft. It was perfect. Dawn...she was perfect.

It was an amazing feeling. When Paul and his older brother Reggie found this pretty place all those years ago, Paul never would have thought that he would be kissing a beautiful girl in the middle of the lake years later.

Yet here he was. He broke the kiss, pulling her closer. She looked him with eyes that shined.

"Dawn..." he muttered into her ear.

The blunette was surprised. Paul almost never called her by her actual name, it was always Troublesome.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"You're beautiful," Paul spoke in a quiet voice, the irritating blush returning to his cheeks.

But it was worth the stupid blush to see the genuine smile appear on Dawn's face. Her eyes began to water but you couldn't see the tears as they mixed in with the lake water.

She hugged him tight, never ever wanting to let go. The roar of the waterfall crashed behind them, but neither were paying attention to it. "I...I don't know what to say..."

Paul grinned, swimming over to the edge and pulling himself up. He offered out his hand and helped Dawn out of the water.

"Look Troublesome...I need to ask you something."

She looked back at him, curiosity clear on her face.

Paul cleared his throat. "I just...I'm not very good at this kind of thing..."

Dawn giggled at his awkwardness. "Come on Paulie Bear, just spit it out."

Paul looked horrified. "What the fuck did you just call me?"

She smiled. "I made up a nickname for you. Whenever you call me Troublesome, I call you Paulie Bear."

Paul rolled his eyes but didn't object any further.

"So what did you want to say?" Dawn asked.

Paul knew that there was no backing out of this now. "Look Dawn...I really like you."

Dawn felt butterflies. "I...I really like you too," she blushed.

"Will...uh...you be my...girlfriend?" he asked, stuttering again. He was honestly so nervous.

She giggled at his awkwardness. "I'd _love_ to be your girlfriend."

They sealed the deal with a sweet kiss, and Paul was relieved he was able to work up the courage to ask her.

"You know...the paps are going to go crazy over this..." Dawn spoke.

Paul just shrugged. "Hm."

"Maybe we should keep this a secret, you know...just for a little bit."

Paul was surprised. "Why?"

"Because right now, I want the relationship to consist of me and you. Not me, you, and the cameras."

"True."

She laughed. "You don't talk much, do you?"

He smirked. "You don't shut up much, do you?"

"Shut up."

"I thought you just said that I don't talk much?"

Dawn growled. "Paul!"

"Shush, Troublesome. Hey...there's actually something else I wanted to show you."

He stood up, still soaked from the lake. He ran a hand through his hair and held out his other one for Dawn to take hold of.

"What is it?" she asked as he led her around the lake, nearing the waterfall.

"Be patient," he rolled his eyes.

He walked around to the back of the waterfall. Dawn then noticed that it wasn't a wall, it was a cave.

"Why are you showing me this?" Dawn asked.

Paul just sighed, walking inside the cave.

Dawn followed him inside, although the sight that greeted her was beyond anything she could've imagined.

The top of the cave was glittering with tiny, crystal-like gems. Although there were very few gems, they created a shiny glow upon the walls of the cave. If you looked at the exit, you could see the waterfall crashing into the lake outside. It truly was beautiful.

Dawn was speechless, silently marvelling at the cave. She sat down against the wall and just laughed.

"What's so funny?" Paul asked.

Dawn smiled up at him. "You know, a few weeks ago, if somebody told me that I'd be sitting in a glittery cave with you, I wouldn't have believed them."

Paul sat down beside her, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer.

"I wouldn't either," he shrugged.

Dawn began to laugh again. "Hey, this is kinda like the_ Cave Scene_. Only you're not dying...and people aren't trying to kill us..."

Paul was confused. "The...what?"

"Duh, the _Cave Scene_! Have you never seen _The Hunger Games_ before?"

Paul thought for a moment. He knew it was a film, he'd seen it advertised everywhere a few months ago but he'd never gone to see it. He thought it looked weird.

"No."

"You're hopeless," she sighed.

Paul smirked. "We've been officially a couple for what, ten minutes? And we're arguing already?"

"Whatever, _Paulie Bear_."

"Stop calling me that!"

Dawn looked up at him, flashing her best smile. "Never."

Paul simply rolled his eyes, although he was smiling too. He'd never felt so happy in his life, not even when he was reconsidered for SingOff.

"You know...I really will force you to watch the movie some time. You know that, right?"

Paul quickly mumbled something under his breath which was, luckily for him, inaudible to Dawn.

"Are you obsessed with it or something?" Paul asked.

Dawn scoffed. "No, you just don't know what you're missing. Besides, May's the one who has a slight addiction to it."

"May...isn't she dating that Brendan guy or something?" Paul asked.

"Yeah..." Dawn trailed off, looking down. She'd been thinking about May a lot, but she didn't know what to do about the whole situation. If May and Leaf didn't make up before the end of the week, then Dawn knew that she may as well kiss her place in the competition goodbye.

And that wasn't going to happen while May was still with Brendan.

"You don't sound happy about it," Paul commented.

Dawn didn't know whether to spill the beans to Paul. She didn't know whether Leaf's accusations of Brendan were completely true, but she believed her anyway.

"That's because I'm not. The girls and I don't like them together."

Dawn decided against telling Paul the entire situation. The lesser people who know, the better.

"Hm. Drew doesn't like it either."

Now THIS got Dawn's attention. "What?"

Paul shrugged. "He told me not to tell anyone, but you and him are kinda close, right?"

Dawn nodded, smiling. "Yeah, we are."

Paul nodded. "Hm. Long story short, the idiot loves May."

"I thought as much..." Dawn trailed off into thought.

It was silence for a moment

She gave him a smile. "I'm going to somehow split up May and Brendan. I have to!"

Paul blinked. "Dawn, don't get involved..."

She sighed. "Paul, this isn't right. They aren't supposed to be together, he's alienating my best friend! She's going to get hurt..."

Paul wasn't too sure what to say at this point, girl dramas were never his strong point. Instead, he just entwined his free hand with Dawns and squeezed it gently, and calming her down with a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"Instead of you splitting them up, why not get Drew to do it instead?" Paul suggested.

Dawn's eyes lit up, and Paul was relieved that he'd said the right thing for a change.

"Yeah! If anyone is able to change May's mind, then it has to be Drew!"

Paul smirked. "That's great. You can plan later, but now all I want is some alone time with my new girlfriend."

Dawn blushed. She moved from her position on the floor onto Paul's lap.

She whispered in his ear. "Your new girlfriend wants some alone time with you too."

She then put her lips to his, igniting a kiss between them. Their tongues danced as they fought for dominance and Dawn found herself running her hands through Paul's purple hair.

Dawn smiled as she thought. Although they decided to keep their relationship a secret from the press for now, she was so relieved at the thought of no more guilty kisses and make out sessions. She was no longer doing anything wrong, no longer hurting Lucas.

For the first time since the start of Ursula's blackmail, Dawn was truly happy.

No more lies, no more secrets kept from her friends. She'd fallen for Paul and done the right thing by breaking up with Lucas and coming clean.

It was the closure she very much needed.

* * *

><p><strong>-Wednesday-<strong>

Drew was a nervous wreck. He paced around anxiously in his room, running over possible situations of what could happen today in his head.

His and Dawn's plan wasn't exactly a 'plan' as such, it was more of Dawn dictating and telling him what to do, whilst hiding the huge hickey on her neck.

_"Drewy, when's Emmy getting here?"_

Drew looked up with a smile to see his sister at the doorway.

Their mother had left for Johto early this morning, and Lia had been looking forward to seeing Emmy all day.

"She'll be here soon, don't worry Li," Drew smiled, trying to hide his own nerves about going to see May.

Lia saw right through him, "What's wrong big brother? You look sad..."

Drew smiled, his sister's concern for him was very sweet. "I'm not sad, I'm just a little scared."

Lia looked almost scared for him. "Don't be scared Drewy, otherwise I'll be scared too..."

Drew couldn't help but smile, Lia truly was adorable. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

Lia giggled, smiling up at her brother. Then the doorbell rang, and her expression quickly changed.

"Yay! Emmy's here!" Lia squealed, almost dancing down the stairs. She opened the door to reveal the smiling honey-blonde.

Drew joined Lia at the door. Emmy was standing in front of it, beaming happily. Mike was here too, standing next to her.

"Aloha Andrew and Liana!" she grinned.

The first thing Drew noticed was the furry creature Emmy was carrying in her arms.

He opened his mouth to protest. "You brought that stupid cat?! Seriously?!"

Emmy smiled, as if it was normal to bring your kitty babysitting with you. "Yeah! I brought Mimi, Mangas and uh...Mike!"

Drew was slowly beginning to regret getting Emmy to babysit, although seeing Lia's smile when the honey-blonde picked her up and whirled her around almost made his day.

_Almost_ made his day. The look on Mike's face when Emmy turned around and threw her cat at him just made everything a million times better.

In Drew's opinion, of course.

Drew stepped aside to let Emmy and Mike through.

"Uncle Mikey!" Lia beamed, letting go of Emmy to hug Mike.

Drew rolled his eyes with a smile. Lia had a lot of friends at school, but sometimes he wondered if she preferred his friends to her own.

Emmy walked up to Drew with a smile on her face as Lia dragged Mike over to the other side of the room to show him some of her toys.

"Why do you look like you just murdered someone?"

Drew blinked. "What..?"

Emmy sighed, tapping her foot impatiently. "You look so nervous!"

"Well maybe I am...Em, I don't know if this is a good idea anymore..."

Emmy almost growled. "Drew! You are going to Petalburg to tell May how you feel, and that's that!"

Drew was shocked, he'd never seen Emmy act so serious before.

She was right - he couldn't back out now.

"You're right..." he sighed and she grinned triumphantly. She looked over to see Mike smiling with Lia, and she felt a sudden pang of affection in her heart.

He then looked over in her direction, and she quickly blushed.

"I think Mike wants to talk to you, Drew!" Emmy spoke, in a pitch higher than it should have been.

She quickly walked in the direction of the stairs, but not quick enough, as Drew noticed her sudden change in attitude.

Mike sighed, getting up and walking in the direction of Drew. "It's hopeless. She just wants to keep me in the friend zone..."

Drew raised an eyebrow at how dense Mike really was. "She doesn't, Emmy is trying to convince herself that she doesn't have feelings for you, but I think that she does. Did you not see her blush just now?"

Mike smiled. "Hm. Since when did you become a love guru, hey _Pretty Boy_?"

Mike nudged him with his elbow, and Drew smiled at the old nickname.

"Yeah whatever," he rolled his eyes with a grin.

"Good luck, by the way. Although I'm sure you won't need it. I hope you get your girl," Mike shrugged as they both headed for the door.

"Same to you," Drew grinned, and Mike looked to the floor sheepishly. "I want no making out in front of my sister, you hear?" he spoke in a jokey voice, although Mike still looked embarrassed. He was easy to tease.

"Just get out of here," Mike rolled his eyes with a grin.

_"Today, I'm going to teach you all about **YAOI**!"_

_"Yay! What's Yaoi, Emmy?"_

Drew just blinked, looking over at Mike who slapped a palm to his forehead. "Remind me again why I'm here?"

Drew smirked. "Because you love that crazy fangirl, that's why."

Mike simply nodded, his cheeks turning a lightish pink. Drew waved at Mike, before turning around and walking away. He was petrified, but he was going to do this.

He couldn't leave May to get hurt by that bastard any longer.

* * *

><p>It was nearing 3pm, and May was so happy.<p>

She'd been at Brendan's home in Littleroot Town for a large portion of the day, and it had been so sweet. They were watching rented movies in his living room together while the rain battered on the windows outside. It was cozy, exactly what she wanted.

"This movie is shit," Brendan laughed.

May grinned. "Well I told you to get _Mean Girls_, but you wouldn't."

"I don't want to watch _Mean Girls_ either!"

She smiled. "Yes you do."

"I don't. It's awful."

May stuck out her tongue at him, and he retaliated by shoving her off the sofa.

"Hey!" she whined.

"I didn't mean it," he smirked.

She stood up and pretended to walk away. Brendan was unable to see the smile on her face.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

She stood at the window, staring out of it. "Hm I don't know, maybe I should just go home..."

"Don't do that..."

"Brendan, I'm messing with you, you idiot," she turned around and grinned.

Brendan rolled his eyes. "And I thought you were the gullible one."

She walked back over and snuggled into him. "I'm sorry."

"You're not sorry."

She batted her eyelids and flashed her best smile. "I'll prove it?"

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? How exactly do you plan on proving it to me?"

"I'll leave that for you to decide..." May bit her lip softly.

"I can think of a few ideas..." he murmured, kissing her on the lips.

He pulled away before she even had chance to kiss him back

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And what was that for?"

"I have to go to the bathroom," he shrugged with a grin, getting up.

As he was walking out, she extended her arm out while yawning and hit the tv remote off the arm of the chair. It flew across the floor, ending up near the wastepaper basket.

May sighed, standing up and heading across the room to fetch it. Her eyes happened to cast over the basket, but she froze as she saw a word.

This word was written on a worn looking piece of paper, in rough, yet cute looking handwriting.

Her heart began to thump.

This word...it was one she knew all too well.

_**Misty**_.

She picked the paper out of the basket and sure enough, it was Misty's letter.

Brendan...he had it.

_Why..?_

Then it hit her. Leaf...she was telling the truth.

She accused Brendan of stealing Misty's letter, which he denied. She then begged May to believe that he was using her.

Everything came pouring back as she read over the letter. Leaf's distraught and panicked face was stuck in her mind.

Leaf was trying to help her...and she pushed her away. She hurt her.

May hated herself for everything she'd done, but she couldn't think about that right now.

Right now...she had to get out of here.

She made a dash for the doorway, but as she unlocked it and was about to open it, the approaching figure on the stairs made her shaky self freeze.

She was too late...

* * *

><p>The heavens had opened, much to Drew's dismay. He'd reached Petalburg City by walking, as it wasn't too far away from LaRousse.<p>

She'd gave him her address a while ago, whilst him and the boys were still in the show, so he headed for her home.

The rain was drenching him, but he didn't care by this point. All he wanted was to see May.

A drop of rain trickled down Drew's forehead, but he continued his speedy walking. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he still didn't have a good feeling about this.

After what seemed like an eternity, he found her house and walked up to the door.

With a shaky hand, he knocked and a woman in her mid thirties answered. She was pretty, and she looked rather similar to her daughter.

She looked at him for a moment as she recognised him. "You're Drew Hayden, right?" she asked.

He fought back a grin. He'd forgotten that he'd become almost a household name after participating on the show, it was weird.

He nodded with a polite smile. "Yes, I am. I want to talk to May, is she home?"

She sighed, drooping "No...she's with that boyfriend of hers."

"Caroline? Who's at the door?" came a voice from the other room.

Caroline ignored her husband. "Drew, would you like to come in for a while?"

Drew considered the offer. He was soaked to the bone and didn't know where that _bastard_ Birch lived, so he accepted.

"I'd love to, thank you," Drew smiled as he led her inside.

They headed into the living room and Drew met eyes with May's father.

"Norman, this is Drew," Caroline smiled.

Norman seemed lost in thought for a moment as he scanned the boy up and down.

"I know you, you're the one who I _thought_ was dating my daughter."

"Norman! Don't be so rude!" Caroline squeaked.

Drew's face fell for a moment as he bit his lip. "No, I never dated May. Just the magazines making up stories."

"But you look like you want to date her."

Drew turned around to see a boy in his early teens sitting in an armchair.

"Max!" Caroline hissed.

Drew knew of the uncomfortable stares he was receiving, but there wasn't much he could do.

Max just shrugged, picking up his phone and staring at the screen. "It's true."

Caroline exhaled slowly. "Max. I need to talk with your father and Drew, could you please go to your room?"

With a sigh, Max left his spot on the chair and walked up the stairs.

Norman looked at Drew, trying to figure him out. "Why are you here, Drew?"

Drew was beginning to feel uncomfortable in his wet clothes, but he ignored the feeling.

"I'm here because I need to talk to your daughter."

"And what do you need to talk to her about, may I ask."

"I...I have feelings for her. I don't like her being with Brendan and I want to tell her that."

Norman seemed to soften. "It takes a man to admit something like that, I respect you Drew. You're not the only one who doesn't like it, trust me."

Drew cocked his head to the side slightly. "You don't like Brendan either?"

He let out a bitter laugh. "Like him? I'd rather stick pins in my eyes than like that son-of-a-bitch."

Caroline sighed. "Language, Norman."

Drew turned to her. "Why do you both hate him?"

"Because something's happening to my daughter. She was here for the day yesterday, but she seemed so different..."

"Constantly talking about _him_," Norman shook his head.

"Yeah. We just have a bad feeling about this. She left this morning for his house which I think is in Littleroot Town," Caroline spoke.

"And God only knows what they're doing..." Norman looked seething with fury.

"I don't think that's what Drew wants to hear right now, honey..." Caroline sighed.

"Well I don't want to hear it either but the fact of the matter is, they're probably getting up to things that I don't want to happen. I don't trust him enough to allow it."

Drew nodded, in a sense, he was feeling the same way. "Do you have an address for where she is?"

Caroline thought. "I don't know, to be fair, although I'm sure there must be something in May's room that can say where she is."

Drew raised an eyebrow, "You don't mind me going up to May's room?"

"Of course not," she smiled. "You've gained my trust, and I want you to find and talk to my daughter."

Drew smiled, peering at Norman. He simply gave him a nod, before turning back to his laptop.

Drew walked out of the room and found the stairs, May's room was easy to find. It was adjacent to Max's room which had music blasting out of it. He had good taste.

He walked into her room and smiled as he turned the light switch on.

It was cute. The walls had been painted white and his shoes were touching a cream coloured carpet. Everything was given the definite feel of country in here. She had CDs of several country artists scattered around the place, with posters of her favourite bands and artists on the walls. Her guitar case lay in the corner too.

He knew he shouldn't, but he found himself walking towards it. He picked it up and opened it. Her gorgeous guitar lay inside, along with many pieces of scattered paper.

Drew knew those were the songs she'd been writing, but what he didn't like were how most of them were unfinished.

Like she'd lost the inspiration.

Drew sighed and closed the case, putting it back in the corner. He then glanced at her bed to see her phone.

He picked it up.

Should he look through it? Drew didn't know what to do, although this was probably his best chance of finding an address.

Curiosity overpowered him, and he found himself picking it up. It wasn't password protected so he was able to get in easily.

After searching around in everywhere BUT her texts, he confirmed that there was nothing there. There was only one more place to search.

He reluctantly skimmed through her messages and each one was like a bullet shot to his heart.

It was awful. Drew understood why May had hardly been texting him, she'd been texting Brendan instead. A lot.

After scrolling through a ton of 'cute' conversation, Drew finally found what he was looking for.

But just as he was about to turn off her phone, one of the texts she'd sent caught his eye.

...

**_I love you Birchy ^-^ xx_**

...

He swallowed hard, clenching his fist around her phone. He wanted nothing more than to smash it into a million pieces but he had to control himself.

It was hard. Why wouldn't it be, the girl he had major feelings for proclaiming her love for another...it hurt. More than May would probably ever know.

He got out his phone and entered the address on the Notes app.

He then turned off the phone and lifted up her pillow to put it safely away.

But he didn't just see emptiness underneath, he saw a messily folded up piece of paper.

With _his_ handwriting on it.

Drew opened it up to read very same the words he'd written not too long ago.

It seemed much longer. It was as if an eternity had passed them by since he last with Gary, Ash and Paul.

He'd been keeping in contact of course, speaking to Ash and Gary on most days and he texted Paul a lot too. Turns out he speaks much more in texts than he does face-to-face.

Drew smiled to himself. He'd forgotten about this, he wasn't even sure if she got it in the first place.

He put it back where he found it and headed out. He was feeling a million times more confident after the talk with Norman and Caroline, and to know that he wasn't the only one feeling this way was a definite help.

After what Dawn had said on video call as well, he knew what he had to do.

He said his goodbyes to Norman and Caroline before heading for Littleroot.

But nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to face.

* * *

><p>"What's the matter, May?"<p>

May was panic stricken, her legs trembling as she discreetly hid Misty's letter from Ash behind her back.

Her throat was dry. "N...nothing!" she squeaked.

He gave her an odd look. "How about we go back inside the front room? You're shivering or something..."

As she unhappily walked back, he took hold of her hand and she yelped, dropping the paper.

Brendan watched it fall with surprised eyes. _No...she didn't find it..._

**She wasn't supposed to find out yet!**

"What was that?" he asked darkly.

May felt her stomach churn as he bent over and snatched it up before she could stop him.

His eyes scanned over the paper, confirming what he already knew. May knew the truth.

"Is it true?!" she raised her voice with an icy glare. "Was everything Leaf said true?!"

Brendan gave her a horrid smirk. He was going to make sure she kept her mouth shut. Even if he had to take extreme measures. "Yeah. Every last bit of it."

Her face fell. "But I believed you!" she whispered.

"Just like I knew you would," Brendan shrugged. "It's nothing personal, May."

May opened her mouth in disgust. Nothing personal? _NOTHING PERSONAL?!_

"You...you don't even care! You don't love me! You sat back and watched me fight with Leaf, knowing full well what you did to her! I bet you were laughing at me, weren't you?!" May was enraged. She was usually a sweet, nice girl but this had completely tipped her over the edge.

"No, I wasn't. I never did anything to hurt Leaf, why would I do that?"

Brendan was keeping up this cool, careless persona but this mean smirk on his face was seriously antagonising May.

"I wouldn't put it past you," she sneered.

Brendan raised an eyebrow. "Whatever, little girl. I was going to drop you soon anyway, I have everything I need."

She wanted to cry. He didn't care. He just used her for information on the other contestants, just like Leaf said.

But she chose not to believe one of her best friends and sided with Brendan instead. She trusted him! Twin tears escaped out of her eyes, she couldn't believe this. Any of it.

Just over fifteen minutes ago he was being charming and cute, she was so happy with him.

Now...just looking at his stupid face made May want to shove it in a blender. She'd never been so angry, but she decided to play Brendan at his own game. Crying and whining that she loved him was going to get her nowhere.

"Drop me? I'm not your personal little _whore_ for you to play around with, Brendan!"

Brendan sneered. "Oh May, that's exactly what you are. Or should I say, were."

May took a breath. He was trying to get into her head, she wouldn't let him. She couldn't break down in front of him.

"You need to learn how to treat a lady, you bastard!" she glared.

"Well maybe I'd have more respect for a _lady_, if she wore something that didn't leave so little to the imagination."

May flushed red in anger. "You went shopping with me and told me it looked good!"

He smirked. "Of course it looks good, it's _very_ easy on the eye."

That did it. She balled up her fists and started pounding his chest, screaming at him. She'd never been so angry in her life.

Brendan just shook his head and grabbed her wrists tightly.

"Fucking let go!" she was seething with rage.

"Not until you control yourself, you little animal."

"You're disgraceful," she jeered. "Once everybody finds out about what you've done, that's it. You're **finished**."

She expected him to look scared, but it was quite the opposite. Brendan pushed her against the wall, still holding her down so she couldn't lash out.

"What makes you think that people are going to find out about this?" he muttered into her ear, making her gulp.

She put on a brave face. "I'll tell them. I'll tell everyone what you've been up to!" she snarled, "You're not getting away with what you've done to me and everybody else in the house, you _bastard_!"

Brendan just laughed. The look on his face was nothing like the Brendan that May thought she knew.

He put his hands around her waist and pulled her close. She might of liked this before, but now she wanted to throw up.

May could hardly breathe with shock. He began to kiss her neck and she cried out, her throat as dry as a desert.

"Don't _do_ that!"

"I'll do whatever I want, and you're the first thing on my agenda."

No. **NO!**

"W...what are you saying..?" she meekly asked as she realised what he meant.

He took his lips from her and smirked, keeping his arms locked around her waist.

"Not so tough now, are you?" he sneered. "You fucking owe me this. I got nothing from you while we were together and now I want something."

This was sick and disgusting. "No! I'm not going to let you do anything to me you sick _pervert_!" she snarled.

"You were all up for it before, if I remember correctly," he jeered.

May knew he was right, she did say that.

But that was before all this. When she was still convinced that he was the perfect boyfriend, when she'd do anything for him.

Looking at his lusty eyes and dominating smirk, May knew that he wouldn't stop until he got what he wanted

_Her_. He wanted _her_.

But she refused to go down without a fight.

"That was before I finally saw you as the lying little scumbag you truly are Brendan Birch!"

"Whatever May. I had you exactly where I wanted you, and now...I'm going to get exactly what I want from you."

Brendan didn't even flinch as May slapped him hard, it was as if he expected it.

"In your dreams, jerk!" she snarled.

He simply laughed. "Congratulations May, you've just made this a million times more worse for yourself."

He was so strong. Without a word, he pushed her to the ground and she hit her head on the floor.

As she winced in pain, she didn't even realise that Brendan was on top of her and was trying to pull down her shorts.

"NO!" she screamed as he succeeded, trying her hardest to push him away. She used every ounce of strength she could, but it did nothing. "Get away from me you damn **RAPIST**!"

He ignored her threats and screams and so she did the only thing she could and fought back. She bit down on his hand and he cried out, letting his guard down for just a moment. She wriggled out of his grasp and ran.

But he was too fast for her, quickly pinning her against the wall once more. He had one hand easily removing her tiny shirt, and the other was keeping her against the wall as she cried, clawed and begged for him not to go through with this.

**_"If you don't let her go in the next three seconds then I will fucking hurt you Brendan!"_**

Brendan froze, swallowing hard and slowly turning around.

He knew who was there. Brendan didn't know how he got in here, but yet, here he was.

His angered, emerald eyes flickered from the sudden guilt on Brendan's face, to the petrified look on May's face.

May looked at him with the most heartbreaking expression. Brendan had taken away her smile and her usual happiness, she was left a broken shell of the girl she once was.

"_Drew..._" her voice cracked, tears pouring down her cheeks. She hated being so weak to Brendan, especially after trying her hardest to stand up to him, but there was nothing she could do about it.

She had only one thing she could say to Drew, who was staring at the scene in front of him in total shock.

"_I'm so sorry..._"

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><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> ANSDHRURFJNDJRGBTHGHVFDBHBTG HBTBVBBGHTBV

Ok so far this A/N isn't making any sense. I'm not very good at doing that.

Gosh what the hell did I just write? Like what? THAT WAS NOT PLANNED BUT OK WE'LL SEE WHERE IT GOES FROM HERE. I even surprise myself sometimes.

But it still was painful to write. ***sniffles*** My contestshipping heart :'c

You probably didn't like it anyway...I didn't. I'm kind of surprised at myself for writing an attempted rape o.o IT SOUNDS SO BAD NOW THAT I JUST TYPED THAT GAH.

But it wasn't an actual one! And Drew came in at the end!

Plus it created tons more drama ^_^

DERE WAS IKARI TOO!

Please review! I LOVE every single rant I get about Brendan being the bastard that he is. It's so entertaining.

I love you all, and I hope nobody was offended by that...or something...idek ok I'm going to stop.

-love tay x


	23. Chapter 23: Time Heals All Wounds

Aloha! So I guess everyone seemed to like the last chapter? My question is: WHYYYYYY. I didn't like it at all, wah.

BUT IM SO HAPPY BECAUSE WANEGBT IS ON THE RADIO! Taylor hasn't released a song over here since forever, so hearing it on the radio is so amazingly amazing! The only problem is everyone at school acting like they're her biggest fan because like know like three songs, ugh. Die.

Anyways, this entire chapter is the contestshipping you've all been pretty much waiting for! ...maybe.

Hope you like it ^_^

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><p>Replies! Hope i didn't miss anyone...<p>

**laurenkams** - I hope you like this chapter! ^-^

**Greece's kitty** - hehe!

**theasianwonder** - omg I know. But it's only just the beginning, there's still quite a bit of Brendan - Drew stuff to come. Also contestshippy parts ^-^ ahaha pretty much everyone who reviewed has said that they want Drew to punch Brendan. That's good, writing the ikari part was so cute aw. Of course, Paul may be cold and sometimes emotionless, but he's still a guy. XD Some people take the cold persona a little to the extreme..

**Guest** - thank you so much! ^_^

**DarkUmbreon21** - aw it's alright! ^_^ hehe I see and reply to every review for this story. A sequel is definitely on the cards, but I'm finishing this one first before I even start to think about that :) Well I like to um, lighten up my disclaimers. Why? Because I can;) Hope you like the chapter!

**SpecialxGirl** - Oooh it's all so suspenseful. You'll find out in this chapter ^_^

**Guest** - here's the update!

**Gloss Gurl** - thank you lovely! ^_^

**Missy** - omg yay :D hehe. That's pretty good considering I started writing that chapter with no idea of what I was going to write. I just decided to make Brendan more evil and/or creepy cause idk it's just fun ^-^ the ikari part was SO CUTE TO WRITE GAH. I had major Dawn and Paul feels x3 I hope this next chapter is as good as the last one ^_^

**Me-ann** - hi! Aw you're more than welcome, writing this story is possibly my favourite pastime! I'm so happy you liked the last chapter, and I hope this one is good too c:

**DorkyReader859** - Thanks! :D Nope it doesn't make you a bad person, I literally cannot stop writing drama it's just great. I love it XD Yep, things will definitely get better from here! :)

**Left-to-die** - Oh my god I was visualising that scene in my head when I read this XD Although hanging Brendan with his own intestines definitely sounds quite appealing to me. I just had to make Paul awkward, it's so cute and keeps him in character at the same time ^_^ Aw I'm glad you loved it, huggles for you too!

**eeveeluvr** - Well the drama definitely doesn't end there, there's more to come in this chapter too! Ikari is one of my favourite ships, it's one of the ones that I just love writing about. Ahaha! Lia's reaction...now there's something I haven't thought about yet.

**ContestshippingRose** - thank you! :D I'm glad you liked it!

**Kaurz9802** - oh wow, that's a lot of crazy emotion in that review! Idk why but I just seem to make Brendan worserer? (that's not a word, I know XD) in every single chapter. He's just the bad guy in my eyes. Omgggg I so had to do the Norman - Drew conversation thingy because I wanted her parents to prefer Drew to Brendan, which they obviously do XD Omg you are so amazingly crazy I love it. EMOTIONS WAH. It's weird thinking that anybody would get so into a story that I wrote, aw aw aw it makes me feel so happy x3 You are so frickin sweet I could hug you right now! ^-^ I'll definitely continue writing, even if I have to go out of my way to post chapters. Blah school. I know I should do but idk I always think it's never going to be any good, and then I get reviews assuring me that it is and then I'm all like 'woahsssss' :D

**pichufan107** - here it is ^_^

**Fprmr1** - Heya! I know right! I do it all the time, I'd rather go with the flow rather than planning every little thing that goes on. Well ;) you'll just have to find out what happens to Brendan in this chapter yep. He sure does.

**LoveLoverGrl** - well you see, Drew only just got there. There's still a lot more to come in this chapter :)

**Lil'MissEya** - I'm laughing so much I legit have tears in my eyes. I've seen many death threats to Brendan in these reviews but this one is SO HILARIOUS. THE WHOLE ENTIRE THING IS JUST MADNESS AND I LOVE IT. YES omg hello fellow yaoi fangirl. Pffft likely, I swear a lot in reality, so much so I don't even realise it x)

**LeafyVeggie93** - YOU'L FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS :D Oh yeah, Drew is reaaaaal mad ;)

**SYKpop7** - No oldrival in this chapter I'm afraid, but there definitely will be in the one after! ^_^ This one is more focused on the Brendan - Drew confrontation eeeee. Haha ikr, Brendan didn't know though so it was just very bad luck for him xD

**CatlinP1997** - Aw I'm sorry but I just had to! :D cliffy's are my fave.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> FOUR FOR YOU SATOSHI TAJIRI, YOU GO SATOSHI TAJIRI...and none for SunshineTails bye. Damn.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 23: Time Heals All Wounds**

**...**

* * *

><p><em>..<em>

_"Nothing hurts more than realizing he meant everything to you, __but you meant nothing to him."_

_.._

It was as if time seemed to slow completely. Drew felt trapped to the spot as he stared into the eyes of the vulnerable brunette.

She looked so fragile, so delicate. She was shaking furiously in Brendan's cold, unloving arms.

She blinked, then tears quickly poured down her cheeks.

_Snap_. Drew finally got the reality check he needed.

"You fucking lowlife!" he roared in a voice that made May jump.

The brunette barely had time to think, as she watched Drew shove Brendan against the wall next to her with such a force.

Drew had never been this angry in his life. Ever. His eyes sparked with rage and anger.

But seeing him do this to May...the girl he loved...

It was simply too much to bear.

"What are you doing in my fucking house Drew?!"

Drew scoffed. Was this real? Did he really just ask that?

"No, Brendan! I knew you were low...but this? People like you make me sick!" Drew yelled in his face, tightening his grip.

Brendan oddly remained unfazed, and within moments, a smirk appeared on his face. "She had it coming."

Drew was stunned. Horrifically stunned.

How could Brendan say such a thing? That May deserved this?

He looked down at the poor girl. She'd sunken down to the floor and was just staring ahead, tears continuing to fall. She was covered in emotional scars.

Brendan had taken everything from her, almost sucking the life out of her like the nasty leech he was.

Her once-adoring smile had faded away and was instead replaced with an expression of misery and torment. She was hurting.

He'd stripped her down to just her underwear, and Drew knew that if he'd arrived any later, things could taken a far more sour route...

All in all, she was broken. A carefully-crafted glass sculpture, just carelessly thrown to the ground, smashing into a million little pieces.

"How dare you," Drew spoke calmly, trying not to raise his voice. He knew that Brendan wanted him to get angry and he wouldn't give him what he wanted.

That awful smirk returned and he said nothing. Drew clenched his fists as he continued to pin him against the wall.

"What? May was nothing more to me than a stepping stone for my job. She threatened to take that away from me, so I threatened to take something of hers away in return," he spat, trying to justify his actions with a shrug.

Drew glared at him with a look of disgust. "You were going to rape her!"

Brendan simply rolled his eyes. "Tell it to someone who cares."

Drew couldn't hold back any longer, swinging a punch directly at his face.

"Shit!" Brendan cursed as the force of the punch made him hit his head off the wall.

He peered at Drew, who was still glaring menacingly at him.

"Actually, how about **_another_**," Drew punched his face again.

But this time Brendan fought back, and they ended up in an all-out brawl on the floor.

May was frozen in shock as she watched the scene happen right in front of her. Drew had taken over completely, and now he was smashing Brendan's head repeatedly against the floorboards in a fit of rage.

Although it gave her a sense of relief, she had to stop him. Drew could get in serious trouble if Brendan was injured badly, and she didn't want that to happen.

"Drew, stop!" she shuffled forward.

Drew looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because I don't want you to get in trouble for this..." she looked at him with wide eyes.

Brendan just laughed, although he was hurt. "Oh my God. This is ridiculous!"

"Huh?" May looked at him, fear still evident in her eyes.

Brendan ignored her. He then caught Drew off guard, flipping him over, and the two of them resumed the fight.

May watched in horror as Brendan started to assault Drew.

Her Grasshead was in so much pain...and it was all her fault.

This whole entire scenario...it was all because of her.

She forced herself out of her thoughts. She had to help him. Although she was terrified of Brendan, she knew she had to help Drew.

"Are you hurting yet Drew? Huh?" Brendan raged, throwing a nasty punch at Drew. He stood up and began to violently stomp on Drew's chest.

Drew certainly was hurting, pain on his face was evident and he was making soft groans every single time Brendan brought down his foot. He looked as if he was about to flicker out of consciousness.

Brendan just smirked, continuing to assault him until he felt a shaky hand grasp his arm and pull it, getting his attention.

Brendan stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her with lust in his eyes.

"Stop it, Brendan you're hurting him!" she snarled, although fear was still evident in her expression.

"Oh, would you rather we resumed where we left off?" he slowly ran his eyes up and down her body, making her legs turn to jelly in the worst possible way.

May glared at him. "You wouldn't dare, I won't let you get away with this!"

He smiled. "Ah, see that's where you're wrong."

She gulped. "Huh?"

He continued, "I'm not going to get arrested for this, because you and green hair are not going to tell anyone."

May scoffed, raising an eyebrow. "How can you be so sure about that?!"

"Because if word gets out about this, I will give every single photo I took to my bosses before they have a chance to arrest me." He reached over and grabbed a box. "You don't want pictures like this getting out...do you?"

He held up a picture of Dawn and Paul, making out in what looked like some kind of closet.

"N...no. I don't want anything like that to get out..." May was beginning to feel scared.

She couldn't tell the authorities. Dawn would be labelled as a cheating whore, and the blunette was such a sweet girl. She was by no means perfect, but she didn't deserve that.

She looked over at Drew, who was still on the floor in pain from before.

He didn't look like he was getting up anytime soon.

Brendan turned his attentions back to May, giving her a sinister smirk.

"Please don't hurt me," she shivered. Every ounce of confidence she had mustered up had gone, and now she was trapped.

"I don't think you get it, _Maybelle_. When I want something, I don't stop until I get it."

"But why do you want me?!" she cried.

He smirked. "I've wanted you since your sexy Moulin Rouge performance. Red looks really good on you babe."

"_Fuck you_," she glared at him.

He licked his lips. "You know, if you hadn't found out today, I was going to make you put on a little...uh...private _show_ for me."

May felt sick to the stomach. "Make me? Who the hell do you think you are?!"

"_I_ am the guy you love May. You'd do anything for me and you know it."

Although she didn't love him, he was right. If he had asked her to do that before tonight...then she might have obliged. Not anymore.

"You're disgusting. I hope you rot in hell _Brendan_!"

He smirked. "Like I give a damn about that. Now I'm going to get what I want, without a disturbance like _him_ getting in the way this time," he pointed to Drew, who hadn't moved.

"Oh and don't worry, I'll be gentle," he added, smirking.

May gasped. He began to walk towards her, so she did the only thing she could think of and kicked him as hard as she could. In the most sensitive part of his body, naturally.

As Brendan fell to his knees in pain, making a groaning sound, May sped over to Drew's side, frantically trying to wake him up. She wanted to run out of this awful house, but she wouldn't leave without Drew.

"Drew, come on! You have to wake up! Please!" she begged, but he remained unconscious.

Brendan had kicked and stomped on every part of his body without a care in the world.

She looked up to see Brendan beginning to stand.

"Shit!" she whispered under her breath, "Drew please! Wake up!" she begged, but nothing.

She looked up to see that Brendan was...gone?

"Huh?" May spoke out loud.

She tried to take a few steps forward but instead she was pulled back, a cold hand clamped over her mouth.

"_Mmmmph_!" Before May had time to even register what was going on, she was being thrown over Brendan's shoulder. She struggled with all her might but...nothing.

He took his hand away. "Put me down!" she screamed hysterically as he headed for the stairs.

He turned to look at her as he reached the top. "Not a chance. You pulled a real dirty trick just now, and you're not getting away with it. Now, are you ready for Round 2, May?" he smirked as he burst open his bedroom door and threw her down on his bed.

May knew this was a fight she was rapidly losing. Brendan was on top of her, and the force of his weight meant that she couldn't run anymore.

He had her exactly where he wanted her.

She sighed, eyes filling with tears. "You know what? You can do whatever you want to me right now but I just want you to know this: You're a spineless, dirty little coward Brendan!"

He frostily glared at her, sending shivers down her spine. "You know, I think I preferred you when you were in love with me. Much easier to deal with."

"You bastard! How...how could you just mess with my feelings like this?!"

"Because I don't care about your feelings. You were only good for two things: dirt on the other contestants and making out."

May was repulsed. The fact that she had once trusted him enough to be his girlfriend made her want to throw up.

She decided to change the topic of this conversation, desperately trying to buy herself some time. "Wait. Was...was everything Leaf told me two weeks ago true?"

He grinned. "Every word. She's a stupid girl, I even told her not to say anything to you, I knew exactly how you were going to react. How foolish of her."

May was seething with rage. "Leaf is not stupid, don't call her that!"

"That pesky girl interfered with my business and threatened to tell you about me. When I'm threatened by something, I'll take action to eliminate this threat."

May thought for a moment, something Leaf said to her two weeks ago suddenly came to mind. "But why did you kiss her?!"

"Easy. Leaf is childish and immature, so she refused to accept the fact that Gary wanted to date her. I knew I'd get her to keep quiet and give back the evidence if I did something to her. You make it sound like such a big deal."

"That's because it is! One of my best friends was kissed by a rapist! I'm surprised you didn't do anything else to her, I wouldn't put it past you!" May sneered.

"Well, the **_rapist_** is about to make sweet love to you, so you better enjoy it or Tiger Rose will be over. Take your pick."

"_Making love_? This isn't _making love_ Brendan! This is sick!" she screamed.

However, he was able to get her to stop talking by putting his lips to hers. It felt horrible, but she couldn't move. She was stuck.

His cold, nasty hands moved their way down her back as they tried to take off her bra.

May wouldn't let him. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her topless.

"Let me take it off you bitch!" he snarled at her.

"No!" she yelled, pulling her arm from his grasp and throwing a huge punch at his face.

She'd...hurt him? Brendan recoiled in pain as he held his hands to his face.

But she wasn't finished.

With every ounce of strength she had, she pushed him to the floor, beginning to do the same thing that Brendan did to Drew, stomping on every little part of his body, almost jumping up and down on his torso to keep him down. She even grabbed random objects, anything she could find, to hit him with. She knew she was foolish as to stop Drew from hurting Brendan, but there wasn't a lot she could do about it now.

She did everything she could to get him into the same state that he got Drew in, but obviously that wasn't going to happen. She wasn't as strong.

However, she was able to buy herself some time to get out of here, and that was all she needed.

"**_Drew_**!" she shrieked as she ran into the front room. "We have to get out of here now!"

Drew opened his eyes ever so slightly and let out the largest of groans as May made her way over to him. She entwined her hand with his and squeezed it gently.

"What...what's going on..." he mumbled. His vision was disorientated, and the first thing he saw was May standing over him.

But...she was half naked.

Was this real?

While Drew battled with his conscience, May debated about whether to tell him about Brendan's second attempt at having his way with her.

She decided against it. After what Brendan had told her, she knew she couldn't tell anyone about this. Any of it.

She'd keep quiet if it meant keeping her and the girls' privacy out of the medias light. It wasn't fair that Dawn, Misty and Leaf should have to pay for her mistakes.

Drew sat up, rubbing his forehead as he tried to make sense of everything. Distant, random memories of tonights events began to invade his mind.

Then he got it. He remembered.

"He...he tried to rape you, didn't he."

May nodded her head quickly, her lips trembling. She threw her arms around Drew, her breathing shallow.

Drew winced at her touch, but he hugged her back.

"Am I hurting you?" she asked as she saw his pained expression. She let go. "Sorry..."

He smiled unconvincingly. "Don't be. Where...where is he anyway?"

May paused for a second. "He...he chased me upstairs but I slammed his face with a door. He's out."

She hated lying, to Drew especially, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth.

"Can we please get out of here..?" she asked.

Drew nodded, standing up. His head span for a second, but besides the pain in certain parts of his body, he was relatively alright.

He waited for her to put her clothes back on, before almost running out of that house.

"May...we should call the cops. Get him arrested for this!"

"_No_!" she exclaimed, perhaps a little too quickly. "I...I don't want anybody finding out. If we tell the police, the media will find out. I don't anybody knowing what happened, especially my parents. Please, Drew."

Although she was generally speaking the truth, she purposefully left Brendan's threat out of it.

After thinking about it, she truly didn't want anybody to find out about any of this.

Drew just sighed, he didn't know what to do for the best. "Can I at least take you home then?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I can't go home right now. My parents will know something's wrong, and I can't tell them, Drew..." she whimpered. "What am I going to do..?"

He thought for a moment. "You could stay at mine, if you wanted to."

A grateful smile appeared on her face. "I'd love to...but why are you being so nice to me?"

Drew had gotten out his phone to call a cab, but he stopped to answer her question. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because I've basically ignored you since you guys left the show..." she whispered.

Drew wasn't sure what to say. "That...that's the last thing on my mind right now. The main thing is, you're alright. He didn't do anything to you and that's what matters."

She simply nodded, allowing him to make the phone call. She wanted to get away from this awful little town.

* * *

><p>By the time May and Drew arrived back in LaRousse, it was awfully dark. The night was cloudless, you could see every little star dotting up in the sky.<p>

May then spotted a star that seemed bigger than the others. That was the star that you see first, the one you're supposed to make a wish on.

If May could wish for anything right now, she'd go back in time to the night of Leaf's confession and tell herself what she knew now.

But she couldn't. She couldn't go back to prevent this from happening. May had to face the fact that the boy who was once her entire world had just tried to sexually abuse her.

May quickly opened her phone and sent a text to her dad saying that she was staying at a friends house tonight and would be home tomorrow.

The cab stopped outside his house, and Drew got out first, thanking and paying the driver.

They both watched as he drove away, before turning their attentions back to Drew's house.

"May...I need you to wait around the side of my house for a moment."

She blinked. "Why?"

"I've got my two friends here, babysitting my sister. Emmy and Mike. I really want you to meet them, but now isn't a good time..."

May understood. "I got it. You want me to hide while you say bye to them?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "If Emmy knows you're here, then she will not go home, trust me." He let himself in with his keys and May snuck around the back of his house.

Soon enough, she heard the front door shut and three voices coming from around the front.

Drew, another male, and a female.

"I'm glad you got to talk to her, you know," Mike smiled.

May's ears pricked. Were they talking about her?

The girl, Emmy, began to say something. "So? What did she say? Did you tell her?"

May smiled to herself, this girl seemed to have a larger-than-life personality. Although the brunette was unsure of what they were talking about...

Tell her what exactly?

"Em," Drew interrupted Emmy's mindless chatter. "We've been through this before..."

She seem confused for a moment, petting her kitty's head. "What? Oh yeah! That talk we had about not waking the neighbours, I remember now."

Mike burst out laughing. "Come on catwoman, I'll walk you home."

"Maybe I don't want you to. I am an independent woman, Michael," she flashed a smile.

"I'd rather you weren't raped on your way home, thanks."

Drew tensed ever so slightly as Mike spoke those words. Never-the-less, he put on a smile. "Thanks so much for tonight you guys, I owe you one."

"Oh it was nothing," Emmy smiled. "Lia is such a cutie. Now bye bye Drew, love you!"

Mike felt a twinge of jealousy after she'd said that, but he shook it off with a shrug and they began to walk home.

As they appeared to be out of sight, May made her way back to the front garden as Drew opened his front door.

"Sorry about that," he smiled with a yawn.

"It's not a problem. Besides, your friends seem really nice!" May put on a smile, but Drew knew this was one facade that she couldn't keep up for much longer.

"They are. I would have introduced you, but...you know..." he trailed off.

May understood what he meant. She wasn't in the right frame of mind for any kind of social interaction, she'd rather save that for a happier day.

Happier...would she ever be truly happy again?

She wasn't sure.

"Did you say that you had a sister?" May asked, closing the front door behind her.

"Yep, but she's probably asleep. Emmy can be irresponsible at times but she's amazing with Lia," he smiled.

"Your friend...she's really pretty," May replied.

"I'm sure she'd die if you told her that. She's quite the fan of yours, May."

May blinked, stunned. The whole concept of her being famous still hadn't properly sunken in yet. "I have fans?"

"You sure do. Me being one of them."

She bit her lip as her cheeks turned the colour of peach. May then took off her shoes and followed Drew upstairs.

Her blinking began to occur more frequently and she looked like she was bottling something up.

"May...you don't have to be afraid anymore. He isn't going to hurt you."

She sat down on his bed cross legged. She'd been holding in her feelings for too long, she just had to let them out.

May began to cry, frantic sobs escaping her throat as she thought back over tonights events.

"I don't understand..." she cried. "Why are you being so nice to me? I don't deserve it!"

Drew sat himself down next to her, handing her a tissue. She took it gratefully and dabbed at her eyes.

"Because everybody makes mistakes, May..." he spoke softly. "How were you to know that Brendan was going to do that?"

"I know, but...I just feel so used. He didn't love me, all he wanted from me was gossip on the other contestants and sex!"

Drew knew he had to ask. "You never...actually had sex with him before tonight, did you?"

May shook her head. "No, thank goodness. I never would've been able to forgive myself if my first time had been with him."

Drew felt a sigh of relief. The thought of May allowing Brendan to touch her like that made him feel sick to the stomach.

"Anyway...you can't go to bed wearing those," he stood up and headed to one of his drawers, taking out a t shirt.

"Thank you," she flashed him a smile before heading off to the bathroom to change.

Drew thought it would be a good time for him to change also, he took off his jeans and left them on the side. He then went to take off his shirt, and then he walked to the mirror and observed himself carefully.

He was full of bruises after Brendan's vile attack. He was in so much pain...but it was worth it to save May from _him_.

Sighing, he put on the t shirt that he always wore for bed.

May stepped back into the room, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Drew...can I sleep with you tonight?"

Drew misinterpreted what she was trying to say. "What?" he questioned, a shocked look on his face.

May's face resembled the colour of a strawberry. "N..no! I didn't mean it like that..."

Now it was Drew's turn to blush; he slightly turned his face away as he sat on his bed, so May couldn't see it.

"Sorry..." he murmured. "Yeah, you can if you want to."

As he sat himself down, May noticed the look of sheer pain that crossed his face. Just for a moment.

"He...hurt you more than I thought he did, didn't he?" she asked.

Drew said nothing, looking away. He hated the fact that he was beaten by Brendan, he wanted to be the one to hurt HIM, not vice versa!

He wanted to help May, but instead he left her to fight her own battle. She got him by supposedly slamming a door in his face.

"I'm alright," Drew lied.

May ignored him, placing a hand on his torso. "Take off your shirt. I want to see what he's done to you."

"May..."

"Please."

Drew shifted his eyes to make contact with the girl in front of him. She may have cleaned herself up earlier, but her actions, her tone of voice...

They told an entirely different story.

Drew knew that he had to stop letting his pride get the better of him. Right now, he had to put May first.

Ignoring the pain that came from lifting up his arms, he took off his shirt and placed it to the side.

Just then, tears of guilt, sorrow and remorse began to pour out of May's eyes.

"Please don't cry...it's really not that bad."

She couldn't. How could she stop crying, knowing that this was all her fault? If she hadn't been so stupid as to trust Brendan, then this would never have happened.

She reached out her hand and delicately traced her finger around each bruise. It was awful. She leaned forward and placed the top of her head against his chest.

"I'm just a little bruised, I'll be okay," he tried to reassure her.

But that wasn't the issue here. It wasn't the fatality of these bruises that was the problem.

It was the fact that he'd gotten them by saving her. He did it for her.

Why?

May knew she'd been a terrible friend. She didn't care about anybody else but herself and it took her this long to realise it. She regretted everything; ignoring Drew, ditching the girls, turning into a bitch, and choosing to believe Brendan over Leaf...

She hated herself.

Although it still hurt to move, Drew put his arms around the shaking brunette, pleading for her to calm down.

"I don't deserve your kindness..." she whispered. "You should never have showed up in Littleroot Town, I should've got what was coming to me!"

Drew was stunned. Truly stunned. He let go of her and looked into her tear-filled, sapphire eyes. "Wh...what? May...how can you say such a thing?!"

"Because it's true. I'm a horrible person and I deserve what Brendan was about to do to me! I don't deserve the kindness of someone like you!" she cried.

Drew took her hands and entwined them with his, an attempt to calm her down. "Don't say that. May...you've made mistakes, but you have to learn to forgive yourself for these mistakes," he gently squeezed her hands, "This isn't you. The May Maple I know is a beautiful country sweetheart with the singing voice to match."

May looked up at him, a small wistful smile playing at her lips. "Beautiful..? You really think that?"

Drew found himself giving her a tiny smirk. "You're gorgeous. That smarmy bastard never deserved somebody quite like you, May."

He continued on. "So don't you dare try to say that all of this was your fault."

May didn't know what to say. She still blamed herself for tonights events, but she never would have imagined that Drew could've been so sweet to her.

He'd actually put a smile on her face. One that she hadn't been expecting for a while.

"I...I..." she stuttered. She was going to tell him something, but decided against it at the very last second. "Thank you Drew, for everything you've done for me tonight. How can I ever repay you for this?"

Drew smiled to himself, he had something in mind for sure...but he'd never tell her.

"You don't have to do anything for me, just don't ever lose that smile."

May smiled even brighter. "I won't. Besides, I've got you here to maintain it, Grasshead."

She spoke his nickname ever so casually, and was greeted with a sexy smirk that May had missed dearly.

She'd missed a lot of things, but was only beginning to realise it.

"You have no idea how much I've missed that nickname, Maple."

"You have no idea how much I haven't missed your arrogance."

"You have no idea how much I've missed _you_."

That made her stop. She tried to look anywhere other than his jade coloured eyes, but it was hopeless.

She felt awful. But upon looking up at him, May felt the sudden urge to kiss his lips.

_To kiss Drew..._

She shook away all thoughts of herself kissing Drew. What was she thinking?!

"I...I'm so sorry!" she choked, tears spilled from her eyes again as she threw her arms around him.

He was warm and welcoming, like a human pillow. Drew pulled her even closer, he couldn't help but want every inch of her to himself. He'd forgotten about his own suffering, the only form of pain he could feel was hers as she cried softly in his arms.

Every now and again, he felt a tiny teardrop land on his shoulder, making its way down his arm as he held her.

A ton of thoughts came flooding into his mind, involving Brendan and the police. But he had tomorrow to think about that. Right now, May needed him.

They pulled apart, and Drew found himself leaning in and kissing May on the forehead.

She blushed madly, her heart thumping.

Five minutes later, they were lying together under the covers of Drew's bed. Drew refused to let her go and May was happy to comply with that, snuggling into him.

She fell asleep so effortlessly. Drew watched her, holding her as she slept in his arms. May finally seemed at peace.

It was going to take a lot for things to get back to how they were...but Drew wanted to be there for her.

He knew, as time passed, his bruises would be no more and she would be able to overcome this trauma.

But it wasn't going to be easy.

He sighed, planting a soft kiss on her lips. He then whispered the words that had had been plaguing his mind all evening.

_"I love you, May..."_

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Hiya. Erm...so...basically...was it ok?

I hope it was ^_^

I know I know, I should have made Drew hurt Brendan a little more but I wanted to give May an excuse to get Drew to take his shirt off :D

I actually have nothing else to say for once apart from: HOORAY X FACTORS BACK. Well its been back for ages but still... oh and 1D's new song gets its first play in the uk on the 24th of september aka nine days omg.

EXCITED ISN'T EVEN THE WORD, GAH.

I'd LOVE to hear your thoughts about the chapter :) School is seriously getting me down right now, and reading the reviews I get from all of you really does make me sosososo happy, so if you take the time to review then thank you so much ^_^

Next chapter is the wedding! So they'll be oldrival and poke in the next chapter, yay.

Oh, and could you check out my brand new story **A Summer To Remember** too? I'll love you for like...ever.

Off to watch X Factor now, byebye!

-tay


	24. Chapter 24: She Can Hear The Bells

I'm literally smiling so much right now. 400 frickin reviews, it just doesn't stop! Thank you all for helping me reach this target, you're all the best ok:3 It gave me the motivation to finish this chapter. Happy Tay ^_^

Also, this chapter is part 1 of the wedding, so I hope you like it.

**Replies to reviews!**

**theasianwonder** - haha the ending was definitely cute I guess. Compared to everything else in that chapter :') aw thankyou! x3

**MudkipLover33** - I love Contest :3 hehe I hope you like this chapter!

**jou2015** - thank you so much! c:

**Lil'MissEya** - I'm done. SO DONE. 600% DONE. You want to know why? YOU MADE ME IMAGINE HOT BOY-ON-BOY ACTION BETWEEN BRENDAN AND DREW OMFG. In other news...sparkles are definitely awesome. Yep, I give you permission to turn his head into a brain smoothie. yolo and all that;')

**eeveeluvr** - IKR it was very satisfying. Yeah, but I kind of like the idea of Drew being all hurt and stuff so May could realise the mistakes she's made...and well it was an excuse to make him shirtless;')

**LittleWoman9497** - thank you so much lovely! ^_^ Well of course I had to add shirtless Drew in there, he makes everything better ;') Haha! Well there isn't any contest in this chapter but perhaps Lia will find out soon;')

**ContestshippingRose** - aw thank you! x3

**CatlinP1997** - thanks a lot ^.^ Hehe, I think everyone wants to see shirtless Drew:')

**Missy** - omg I know, I wanted to make him more masculine but it just didn't turn out that way when I typed it xD Plus I sort of like Drew when he's all vulnerable and stuff...xD As for whether things will go well...I have no idea what's going to happen next.

**Left-to-die** - he is an idiot, isn't he. Ahaha no Brendan is not real (thank god) but seeing him locked in a torture chamber would be hilarious. Yeah Drew's my favourite too, and definitely Gary, unf. aw thankyou! :3

**TheScoutFinch** - aw I know:') Thankyou!

**Star0890** - aw thank you so much, that's really sweet of you! ^_^

**Otaku'25** - haha! If only she could kiss him while sleeping ;')

**Caaro13** - aw...thankyou! ^-^ I didn't mean to make you cry, honest;')

**FanFictionReader** - ok, let me start off by saying: WHOEVER YOU ARE, I LOVE YOU. A LOT. This actually made my day and i'm not even kidding. Nobody's ever said mine was the best they ever read, aw :') I'm just so happy you like it, hehe! ^-^

**Guest** - yes, I am female ;')

**Guest** - Ahahaha I think we all hate Brendan!

**SpecialxGirl** - hm. You know, I'm not sure why. lol

**LoveLoverGrl** - haha I know right :')

**Gloss** **Gurl** - people actually fangirl over my writing? AWESOME yays thank you!

**Fprmr1** - thank you! c: I hope you update one of your stories soon too, I miss them :(

**The Moltres's Quill** - hehe! Aw yay, I'm just glad that you liked it

**LittleMusicLover** - aw it's fine, don't worry about it! Well this chapter is part 1 of the wedding (Part 2 is where it all kicks off;') ) I know, it was pretty unexpected for me as well. But it seemed to go down well, which I'm thankful for xD Drew is such a sweetheart. I hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you so much! c:

**SYKpop7** - you're welcome! I know right, that song is constantly in my head :') AW YAY IM GLAD IT MADE YOU HAPPY. This review made me happy :3

**bookwormjen19** - ahaha I get lazy too sometimes, don't worry about it c: Thank you! I hope you like the chapter

**Guest** - thank you so much! :) I hope you like this chapter

**liv2laugh00** - ahaha yay! ^.^

**pikachushinystar** - ahaha you're hilarious! I'm guessing you dislike Brendan then, I couldn't quite tell from all those angry reviews ;')

**DracoBlitzen** - Aw thankyou :') That's a good question...she will find out. It might not be this chapter, but she'll find out^-^

**Cierraluvspokemon4eva** - aw thank you so much for reviewing every single chapter! I'm so appreciative of that, you're an absolute doll! :')

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I don't own dis. If I did then this fic would be a real tv show. It'd be so cool ;)

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 24: She Can Hear The Bells**

**...**

* * *

><p><strong>Friday<strong>

"Gary...heh..._stop it!_"

As he continued to pin her against the wall of his Grandfathers lab, Gary flashed her a seductive smile, before continuing to softly kiss her neck.

He paused for a moment to answer. "You don't want me to stop though...do you Leaf?"

She flushed red. "No...but still! This is the Professor's lab, what if he walks in on us? He doesn't even know we're together yet!"

Gary knew she had a point; the only people who knew about their relationship at the present moment were Ash, Misty and Daisy, and he wasn't really up for explaining this to anybody else right now.

But then again...

"As if I give a damn about that right now," he huskily muttered in her ear, sending shivers down Leaf's spine.

He resumed where he left off, his brief kisses gradually moving upward. She giggled, resisting him was slowly becoming more and more difficult.

"Stop trying to fight it, you know you want me. I'm frickin' sexy," he smirked.

Oh, he knew her too well.

Leaf had spent the last few days in bliss with Gary, it was perfect. She couldn't believe how foolish she'd been before. He was more of a man than she'd originally thought, so much more mature than she'd realised.

But of course he was. He was no longer a reckless teenage boy and it took her this long to realise the change in him.

But his ego was still larger than Pallet Town.

"You are _so_ in love with yourself!" she whined.

"Are you jealous that I love myself more than I love you?" he smirked, earning a playful hit on the shoulder.

"Liar. You love me more, Oak," Leaf stuck her tongue out at him.

"You are such a child," he grinned. "But you're also correct."

Without any kind of warning, he leaned forward and kissed her. Leaf still hadn't gotten used to Gary's kisses, but she couldn't deny that she liked them a lot.

She felt herself almost melting away in his arms.

"I could kiss you forever..." Gary looked deeply into her eyes, entwining his hand with hers.

Leaf smirked. "You are so awfully cliche. But still, it's cute."

"Don't call me cute. Guys like myself are not _c__ute_."

"Aw, you're so cute!"

"Fuck you, Leaf."

"Screw you, Gary."

Gary grinned at her, his voice light and charming. "I know you want to, but we'll save that for another day _shall we_?"

It took her a couple of seconds to register exactly what he meant; and when she did, her face involuntarily turned a dark shade of red.

"I hate you!" she growled, unable to look him in the eye. Gary always did know how to do one better than her.

"I love you too," he murmured with a wolfish grin, sensually biting his lip.

Leaf seemed to be mesmerised by this, staring at his mouth. He smiled to himself before slowly sliding the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip. Leaf was entranced by his every move.

She blinked innocently, before putting on a pout. "If I didn't know any better then I'd think you were trying to tease me!" she accused.

Gary simply shrugged it off. "I'm irresistible, what can I say?"

She rolled her eyes with a sigh. "You and your stupid ego..."

"But I already know that you love my ego. Why pretend that you don't?"

_Damn him_. Again, Gary was always one step ahead of her.

"Why can't you just let me insult you without you making any comebacks?" she whined.

"Because it's fun seeing you get mad at me," he laughed, kissing the tip of her nose.

Leaf buried her head in his shoulder to hide her rosy red cheeks. "...Meanie."

Gary laughed. "I'm so insulted."

"Die," she muttered.

His laughter slowed as he lifted her head from his shoulder. "I'm only kidding around," he murmured, entwining his hands with hers. She smiled.

He liked her smile.

"I know..." she gave him a teasing peck on the lips.

"Is that it?" he asked, his eyes pleading for something more.

"Yeah," she giggled, taking her hands away and attempting to walk away.

_Attempt_.

Gary wasn't ready to finish so soon. He gently took hold of her arm and pulled her close, before capturing her lips in a passionate kiss.

He still couldn't believe that this was happening, but he couldn't have been happier if he tried.

"I never said you could have another kiss."

He smirked. "Well that's too bad."

They continued their flirtatious, adorable banter backwards and forwards. It was just him and her, nobody else mattered right now, at that very moment.

She only had eyes for him. He only had eyes for her.

But because of this...they both failed to notice that somebody else was slowly creeping her way up into the equation of him and her.

She was standing, her back glued to the other side of the wall as her ears picked up the entire conversation.

Something inside her just seemed to..._snap_. Every bone in her body ached and their words rang in her ears as she tried to process this information.

Leaf...was she dating Gary?

A moment of sorrow washed over the girl. Clutching the files that Professor Oak had instructed her to bring to his lab even harder, she forced herself to stay and listen to this conversation.

_"You're so cute when you pull that face..."_

_"Leaf, I told you not to call me cute!"_

_"Fine...you're my gorgeous, handsome boyfriend. Happy now?"_

_"Very."_

Boyfriend...

Leaf took the words right out of the mouth of the eavesdropping brunette. She longed to tell him her feelings, but now she knew that it was never going to happen.

Why would it never happen? Easy. Leaf was always better than she was, in every way that she could think of.

With her pretty face, charming personality and singing talent, it was clear that Leaf was everything that _she_ wasn't.

And now she had Gary...

The sorrow had vanished, instead replaced with rage.

In her eyes, Leaf was a little fame-hungry brat. She'd watched the girl on tv, she always did manage to steal the spotlight away from those other girls, without even realising it.

She despised Leaf. Hated her.

She hated the fact that Leaf was able to call Gary her boyfriend, the fact that she was able to kiss those tantalising lips of his whenever she felt like it.

Because whenever Princess Leaf wants something, she'll get it. No questions asked.

Taking a deep breath, the brunette dropped the stacks of files she was holding in her shaky hands and fled the lab immediately, tears streaming down her cheeks.

It was as if nothing in life was going right for her.

But as she picked up the pace and ran...she realised.

She knew that she was going to plan some sort of revenge against Leaf oh-I'm-so-perfect Green, no matter what she had to do.

Because Amy just couldn't stand to see him with...her.

* * *

><p><strong>The next day...<strong>

"I am so excited!" Leaf squealed ecstatically, clapping her hands.

Daisy giggled, "You know Leaf, you're more excited right now then I am, anyone would think it was you who was getting married today!"

Leaf stopped in her tracks, the colour of red slightly blushed on her cheeks. "Me? Like that'll ever happen Dais..."

Daisy flashed a smile. "Hm...really? You and my stupid brother seem to be getting along just fine..."

She grew even redder. "Yeah, but not marriage! We've only been dating a few days."

Daisy kept quiet for a moment as the make-up lady continued to work on making her look gorgeous.

"I could see it. You in a beautiful white dress; your hair in curls, walking down the aisle..."

"Daisy!" Leaf whined.

She giggled. "I'm sorry, I'm just so excited about today!"

"I'm excited for you!" Leaf replied back.

Daisy looked at Leaf with a sly smile. "I just had a thought."

Leaf blinked. "Yes?"

Daisy continued on, in the most innocent voice, "When my brother was in the competition...that meant you two were together in that SingOff house. Did anything...um...happen during that time?"

Leaf flushed a furious shade of red. "No! The most that ever happened was that he tried to kiss me...but I kinda' slapped him for it..."

"Aw really? I was expecting make-out sessions in a closet or something..."

Leaf smiled to herself; the only people making out in a closet were Dawn and Paul.

"Are you not finding this conversation weird?!" Leaf laughed.

"Of course not. I may be 25 but I still love to tease him. Obviously not in the way you do, but I'm pretty sure you know what I mean."

If Leaf had been drinking her coffee at that moment, she would have spat it back into the cup.

"Uh...what? I have never teased him like that."

_"Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?"_

Leaf narrowed her eyes. "He wasn't even there!"

"He was at home watching with us, and _boy_ was he surprised to see your outfit. Pleasantly surprised, of course."

She blushed.

"See?"

"Whatever," Leaf rolled her eyes with a smile.

Although, she was secretly thrilled that Gary found her so deeply attractive in that performance...

* * *

><p>"I hate suits!" Ash grumbled, messing around with the collar on his shirt. They were in the car on the way to the church.<p>

"Yeah I thought so, seeing as though you've been complaining _all morning_."

Ash stopped for a moment, peering at the brunet curiously. "Are you ok Gary?"

Gary let out a sigh. "I'm fine. I'm just...stressed out, you know..."

Ash knew. Gary was understandably nervous for Daisy.

Gary couldn't believe it. Daisy had been talking and making wedding plans for months after the proposal, and it just didn't seem real to him. Now...he just couldn't believe that it was finally here.

His big sister was due to marry the man of her dreams in less than a few hours. It was a lot to take in.

"Everything will be fine," Ash looked up and smiled, doing his best to help Gary.

The brunet looked at him gratefully, knowing that his words were true. Everything was going to be fine.

"Heh. You look more nervous than I do, Gary."

Gary looked ahead to the front of the car to see Liam, his soon to be Brother-in-law, smiling at him from the passengers seat.

He shrugged. "Nervous? I'm fine! Not nervous!"

"Sure you are."

"Not."

"He is."

Gary turned his head to look at Ash, almost snarling at him.

The raven haired boy just shrugged. "She's your big sis Gary, it's normal to feel a little protective of her. Especially now she's marrying somebody."

Gary said nothing, Ash was right.

Ash was honestly so strange. One moment he could be solemn and understanding, while the next minute he'd be acting like a child, running around excitably.

But Misty didn't seem to mind.

"You're meeting Misty there, am I right?" Gary asked.

Ash nodded his head with a smile. "Daisy knows Misty's sisters, so she's going with them."

"Wait...what? My sister is friends with The Sensational Sisters? _They're coming to the wedding?_"

Ash just nodded. "How could you not know this?"

Gary smiled. "I don't know but those girls are _hot_."

"Woah easy tiger. What about Leaf?" Liam grinned.

Gary shrugged. "No competition there, she's hotter."

The car came to a stop outside the church, and the sun was blaring down.

Why Daisy decided to have a summer wedding was unknown to Gary, but he couldn't deny that the sun was inviting.

As they got out of the car, Liam quickly bolted to go and tie up a few loose ends, leaving Ash and Gary to their own devices.

However, they weren't alone for too long.

_"Like, wow! You two look so adorably cute in person!"_

They both glanced up to see three smiling girls heading their way. Daisy, Lily and Violet. They were famous around all the regions, so seeing them in person was rather strange for Gary.

"Hi, you're Misty's sisters, aren't you!" Ash smiled, starting up a conversation with so little effort. He wasn't starstruck in the slightest.

"Yeah," Violet smiled sweetly, tossing a piece of her curled dark blue hair away from her far. "She'll be over in a second once her favourite song finishes on the radio. She wouldn't get out of the car until it finished, you know how stubborn she is..."

Ash cracked a smile. "Yeah I do know."

As the conversation continued, Gary couldn't help but stare at these girls.

He knew he was dating Leaf, but surely he could make an exception for this? He seemed to be doing the male equivalent of what Leaf would call 'fangirling'.

"Like, I know you! You're the teenage heartthrob Gary Oak, aren't you? You know, you're a _very_ good singer..." Lily purred.

Gary found himself nearly blushing. "Thanks..." he replied, although he was a little shaky.

"Both of you are! Like, you're so cute!" Violet joined in, referring to Ash as well.

Gary was ready to pass out right there and then, while Ash seemed unfazed by the attention, laughing and talking with the girls.

Then came the sound of somebody clearing their throat.

"Oh hi little sis!" Daisy smiled, turning around to see Misty.

Ash's mouth flew open when he saw her. Her hair had been curled and it tumbled down her back like red waves. Her dress was long and was the colour of a distant peachy sunset, matching the 'summery' theme that Daisy had chosen for dress colours.

Despite her radiance, Misty herself seemed slightly down. Her eyes flickered from Daisy...to Violet...to Lily...

They were getting seemingly close to Ash and she didn't like it. They may have been her sisters, but bitches would have been a better word to describe those girls.

She didn't trust them...and she couldn't let them near Ash like this.

Not after what happened last time.

The redhead forced a smile. "Ash...can you come with me for a moment? I have to talk to you..."

"Sure!" the raven haired boy smiled, stepping past the girls and linking hands with Misty as they headed in the opposite direction.

More and more guests were beginning to arrive as the minutes ticked by, and Gary said a swift goodbye to the girls and quickly walked away.

He didn't know what it was...but those girls somehow managed to turn him into a quivering mess.

He had to look cool and collected in front of Leaf, after all.

* * *

><p>"This is it..." Daisy beamed with nervousness and excitement.<p>

As well as having Leaf in the car with her, Daisy had two other huge surprises in store for everyone waiting in the chapel.

"I still can't believe you made it..." she whispered.

Before Leaf and Daisy were due to leave, they'd been surprised by two very familiar faces.

The two people that the bride-to-be knew all too well.

Her parents.

For anybody else, it wouldn't have been a surprise. After all, parents were always there at a wedding.

But for Daisy...this was special. Her parents left to travel the world a couple of years ago, after Gary graduated from high school. Last she'd heard, they were on the other side of the world in Unova.

Boy, was that a surprise for her.

"Are you ready Dais?" Leaf looked up with an excitable grin.

Daisy clutched her dad's hand with anticipation. "I'm ready Leafy."

Leaf opened the door of the car and stepped out with Gary's mother. As they walked to the chapel together, she smiled.

"Are you ready to see Gare?" the brunette giggled, her hand on one half of the doors.

"I've...I've missed my little boy," she nodded.

"_Little_ isn't the word I'd use to describe him," Leaf grinned. She watched the other bridesmaids enter and began to follow.

The other girls, along with the flower girl and the pageboy, took their place at the front, moved slightly to the side.

Leaf's facial expression was kept fixed solely on one person in this room.

Before he realised, he was smiling. Waiting for his sister to walk down that aisle with anticipation.

Then he met eyes with Leaf and gave her a wolfish grin, along with a wink.

His cool and calm persona changed as soon as his gaze trailed to the woman walking next to Leaf. His mouth fell open in shock.

"_Mom?!_" he cried, jumping up from his seat.

Leaf stopped with Gary's mother, watching the scene unfold in front of her. Her heart fluttered with compassion as Gary threw his arms around his mother.

It was unreal to him. He hadn't seen her for what felt like so long, and yet here she was.

It was perfect. As Gary and his mother sat themselves back down at the front of the chapel, while Leaf joined the other bridesmaids standing at the front, the doors opened.

It was magical. Daisy walked inside arm-in-arm with her father as the music commenced, and Leaf had never seen her so happy.

Liam was awestruck by this girl. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever known, and he wanted nothing more right now than to say _I do _and then seal the deal by kissing his gorgeous bride.

Gary just couldn't believe it. His parents had come home for Daisy's wedding, he hadn't seem them in so long...he was astonished.

Everything was perfection. Daisy was walking down the aisle escorted by her father and her mother was sitting in the front row, tears of joy stained on her cheeks.

The priest shortly began the ceremony. Professor Oak moved along up slightly to allow Gary's father a place to sit down.

Leaf tried her best to remain calm for the ceremony, but she knew that somebody's gaze was on her. She couldn't control herself.

_No Leaf!_ she silently commanded herself, _Do not look at him!_

But her sense of willpower had vanished the moment her eyes swivelled to meet his. He smirked, before pulling a hilarious face at her.

Nobody else caught on, and it took everything she had to stifle her giggles and remain straight-faced.

_Jerk_.

After what felt like hours of composing herself; Leaf let out a inward sigh of relief as the ceremony came to a close. Gary had been a little bastard; pulling stupid faces, winking at her and doing anything he could to make her laugh.

"You may kiss the bride."

Daisy beamed with affection as Liam captured her lips with his, a tender, sweet kiss.

* * *

><p>"You are such an ass Gary, I still can't believe you did that!" Leaf whined, hitting him softly. She was relieved that the wedding photos were over; now Gary, Ash and Misty were together, headed for the reception just across the street.<p>

His hazel eyes met her jade ones and he let out a simple smirk. "You loved it."

"As if," she rolled her eyes.

"You two are such kids," Misty smirked, her hand linked with Ash's.

"Yeah whatever," Leaf shrugged, hitching her dress up slightly so it wasn't touching the path.

"You want me to carry you?" Gary asked.

She snorted. "No. I'm perfectly capable."

However he took no notice, sweeping her off her feet and carrying her bridal style.

However, it wasn't all sweet.

"Gary! put me down, you can't carry me!" she yelled.

He grinned, mimicking her words from before. "No. I'm perfectly capable."

She sighed and let him carry her to the reception. Besides...she did quite like his touch.

"Hey, I should carry you!" Ash grinned at the redhead.

She looked less than impressed. "No you shouldn't. Besides, I have a much better idea."

With that, Misty stopped Ash, before picking him up.

"Hey!" he growled. "Since when did you get so strong?"

"Since forever. Besides, it's not that hard, you're really light."

Ash growled. "No I'm not!"

Gary turned around to see Misty carrying Ash, and he burst into laughter.

"_Gary_!" the raven haired boy yelled.

Misty simpered, "Ignore him. Besides, you look really cute on the floor."

Ash was so confused. "But I'm not on the fl-"

He was cut off by Misty harmlessly dropping him onto the sidewalk.

Gary was howling with laughter at Ash's face, and this made it easy for Leaf to wriggle out of his grasp.

"Come on Ashy-boy," Misty giggled, holding out her hand. He gladly took it, and the two of them continued on to the reception.

"Why can't we be cute like they are?" Leaf asked, walking behind Ash and Misty.

Gary shrugged. "I don't do cute."

She sighed. "Why not?"

He smirked, before slapping her butt. "Because being perverted is so much better!"

"Gary!" she screamed as he picked up the pace, darting down the street.

After making sure she wasn't going to trip on her dress; she ran past Ash and Misty, catching him just outside the reception.

"You're mean," she huffed.

"Am I really?" he grinned, sliding an arm around her and pulling her close.

"Perhaps I lied," she purred, before leaning in and capturing his lips. Gary was surprised, she didn't usually initiate the kisses.

He definitely liked it though.

After what seemed like so long, she broke the kiss.

However, her smile faded as she looked ahead.

Gary's parents and Rachel, along with Delia and Professor Oak, were standing behind them.

"Heh...hi!" she smiled sheepishly.

Gary turned around, before blushing slightly. "Uh...you see..."

Rachel cut him off. "Are you two dating one another?" she asked in an excitable voice.

"Yeah..." Now it was Leaf's turn to blush.

"Aw, that is so adorably cute! My little Leafy is finally growing up!" she shed a tear.

"Mom!" Leaf whined.

Gary's dad walked over to him, before muttering something into his ear. "She's a keeper."

Gary grinned, putting his arms around Leaf's waist. "Don't I know it."

"You two are so adorable!" Delia, Gary's mother and Rachel squealed.

"I already knew," Professor Oak chuckled.

"_How_?" Leaf spluttered.

"I understand you two probably can't keep your hands off each other...but not in my lab please," he smirked.

"I...uh..." Leaf turned a dark shade of red.

"Sorry Gramps," Gary grinned cheerfully, matching his tone. "Won't happen again!"

"I told you it was a bad idea!" Leaf huffed.

"Whatever, you didn't exactly object to it," he kissed her cheek, before unwrapping his arms from around her waist.

Everybody headed inside, and the party began.

But nobody could have predicted what was to happen next...

..

_She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind_

_There is nothing I do better than revenge._

_.._

* * *

><p><strong>Authors<strong> **Note**: omg I wanted to write the whole thing (the reception too) but I wanted to stop there because I haven't updated for ages. I wasn't sure if this chapter was any good...but the next one will be full of drama and revelations, and it'll be the last one before they go back to the competition!

Oh yeah...GUYS OMG GUESS WHO GOT TICKETS FOR ALL TIME LOW IN FEBURARY NEXT YEAR? :D I bawled my eyes out when I got them IT IS GOING TO BE THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE I LOVE THAT BAND SO MUCH IT HURTS.

Oh and Allstar Weekend followed me on twitter the other day. They love me.

That's all. EEEEE i got 56 reviews for the last chapter AKA AN ALL TIME RECORD FOR ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH! Seriously, I was was only expecting a few and I ended up with tons! Thank you, I really appreciate them!

**QUESTION**: What is it about this story that makes people like it? I really want to know because all I really do is just sit there and type words..

I just love you all right now. If you were to review this chapter too then I'd be a very happy bunny ^.^ Also, expect an update from Codename Kitty soon, I'm nearly done with the next chapter.

Love Tay(lor Swift) ;)

PS - RED COMES OUT IN TWO DAYS I AM SO HAPPY ABOUT THIS EXPECT USE OF THE SONGS IN THIS STORY AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE OK ^.^


	25. Chapter 25: Leaf's Song

Hi! Hehe I got a sudden burst for this story when I should have been revising for my maths exams...oops. Anyway I'm so happy I was was able to update early-ish.

Replies to the Reviews!

**shippingforthewin** - aw thank you so much! ^-^ I was just really curious, because i wasn't sure why you all liked it so much :) I hope you like this chapter!

**ContestshippingRose** - my next update will be round about now, I think ;') thank you!

**eeveeluvr** - Awww really? thank you :3 Yep, May and Drew are definitely in this chapter. Yeah, that's all I do! Well I listen to music too, that usually gives me ideas and inspiration and stuff like that. Aw you're so so sweet I swear! x3

**Gloss Gurl** - Aw that's really sweet ^-^ Love ya!

**AquaStarlight** - aw yay! I'm glad you liked it, oldrival is my favourite ship too. There's a lot more of it in this chapter too, so I hope you like it! ^-^

**liv2laugh00** - RED IS AMAZING OMG AJXHEHWJKZLS hehe the revenge doesn't quite happen in this chapter, but you'll find out soon! Ahaha yes we are! ^_^

**MudkipLover33** - that is definitely a possibility, we shall see x)

**Guest** - Meh XD hehe there's always gotta be some kind of intrigue going on, keeps people interested ^-^

**LittleWoman9497** - oh my god don't reread it! DX the beginning of this story is awful, I just cringe every time I look at it x) you can never have too much oldrival, it's like my favourite thing ever and writing it jut seems to come naturally idk. Thank you so much! Ahhh you'll find out soon ^_^ there isn't a lot of drama in this chappy but there will be in the next one, hehe!

**SYKpop7** - aw thank you darling! ^-^ I'm really happy it turned out okay, because it turned out I didn't know all that much about weddings XD That's really good to know, I hate it when people make the girls act the same, do the same things and then the boys are the same and everything iS JUST THE SAME, UGH. I've actually put the revenge on hold for a chapter because I didn't want to ruin this one with it XD Awww thank you, like I was so overwhelmed by it all. In a good way of course. It took a little bit of time but I love replying, it makes me feel as if I'm actually good at something when I get feedback from everybody. I hope you like this one too! ^_^

**TheContestshippingArtist** - aw thank you so much! omg you have? Were you like a guest or an anonymous or something? hehe

**DracoBlitzen** - ahaha you tell her ;') thanks! I love writing for oldrival so much, they're one of my otps and I just love them x3

**LunarEclipse22428** - Aw! That's so lovely, thank you! x3 I hope this chapter's good as well, hehe ^_^

**theasianwonder** - it's fine, I happily wait for reviews, don't worry about it. Yeah I'm with you on that one, I'm definitely guilty of reading a chapter to a story, but not being in the reviewing mood. I don't know where the beginning came from, but it seemed like a good idea at the time XD oh man I just love oldrival. Usually she would be the winner of witty retorts but I wanted her to act all cute with Gary so Amy would be all jel and stuff. Man, he definitely lusted alright ;) Your wish is my command, there is definitely some contest in here that I think you'll like XD Isn't Red just fabulous? So it was your birthday on the 24th am I right? HAPPY (LATE) BIRTHDAY :) Hehe, Misty's sisters will play a huge part in the pokeshipping aspect of this story a little later on. Awww I'm just so touched that you like my stories so much, hehe! ^_^

**Fprmr1** - Hey! Thanks a lot, I just love writing for oldrival sososo much. You'll see what happens with Amy pretty soon.

**SpaztasticStella** - aw thank you lovely! I'm just glad you like my story, I was so curious to figure out why people thought it was good, hehe

**SpecialxGirl** - A lot of people have said this now, aha! The gross couple oh my god XD

**PuRpLeOcEAnRoSE0208** - it's so cute isn't it? Oldrival fluff is my favourite. I thought it would be interesting to write Amy's feelings in that part in the last chapter, although she's still totally evil. Yay for Red! Hehe I definitely plan to use some o the songs in this story, they're all so good.

**SpikEarPichu'sTrainer** - I love her too! Anyways, the reason the last chapter took so long is because it's difficult trying to juggle three stories, a one-shot, and a definite lack of inspiration. I always manage it in the end though ^-^

**Kaurz9802** - aw really? You're like the bestest person ever, I love you! I just can't stop writing oldrival I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Gary is definitely a cutie ;) That part was so funny to write, it just sprung into my mind out of nowhere so I added it in. Professor Oak is great XD Amy was in the story a few chapters ago, she's like Professor Oak's intern who's slightly obsessed with Gary...yeah. They don't get it easy do they? I'm so harsh on my favourite couple XD Yay I'm so excited for next year! Maybe I'll have even finish this story before then, I cannot believe I've been writing it for almost a year now, that is dedication XD You're like the sweetest person ever! ^-^

**you-are-reading-my-username** - omg you scare me! ;') Cliffhangers are the best, they keep you in so much suspense! Aw that's alright, I love replying to reviews and I hope you like this chapter!

**Cierraluvspokemon4eva** - Aw thank you darling ^-^

**LuvAllPokemon** - OH MY GOD IT'S YOU! It's been quite a while, you just disappeared completely! XD I'm not replying to every one of the reviews so this is just a big mush of replies altogether. yays. THE FANGIRL PART IS HOW YOU ACT? AHAHA THAT'S FUNNY CAUSE I BASED IT ON HOW I ACT! Yeaaaah okay we have the same mind. Oh don't worry, May will find her little piece of happiness I can assure you that. As for Lucas...hm. You're right, Ursula does have to much time on her hands. We shall see ;) Aw really? I get so happy when this story messes with peoples emotions (now I just sound evil) because idk I think it's cool how I just sit here and write words and they manage to affect the readers like that. Does Brendan actually have any good in him? Because of he does then I'm struggling to find something XD I agree so much, I hate those kind of fics. May doesn't deserve that anyway, what happened to her was more of a wake up call than anything. Contestshippy fluff definitely makes me happy. OMG REALLY? That means so much because looking back at your reviews near-ish the beginning of this story (it was pretty bad. cringe) you always said if there was something you didn't like, etc so the fact that you have nothing bad to say about it just makes me feel as if I'm doing the right thing XD YAY. Don't disappear ever again, I'll miss you. XD

**LoveLoverGrl** - hehe! ^_^

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I don't own pokemon, or any of the songs used in this chapter! Although I do own Harry Styles...he just doesn't know it yet...

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 25: Leaf's Song**

**...**

* * *

><p><strong>Thursday - Hoenn Region<strong>

It was so dark. Pitch black almost as May awoke with a start. Her body was shaking and sweltering as she tried to come to terms with her surroundings.

What was that nightmare? It seemed so horrifically realistic...

Her eyes trailed down, and then it hit her.

There was somebody else in bed with her. His arms were wrapped around her quivering body.

She let out a wail and struggled to get free. Her memory was hazy, she had no idea where she was...and she couldn't see who was holding her.

"May..?" a sleepy voice was thrown into the air, which made her freeze.

"D...Drew?" she squeaked, tears pouring down her cheeks.

Drew let go of her, turning to his side to put on the lamp.

Turning back around, the first thing he saw was her petrified face. He pulled her towards him and held her as she cried.

"I...I had this nightmare...Brendan...he..." she sobbed, unable to get her words out.

Drew was hesitant. Nightmare?Could she not remember what happened..?

He decided to play along. "What happened in this nightmare?"

"He tried to...he...he tried to force himself on me..." she cried.

Drew knew it was no nightmare, he'd seen what had happened with his own eyes.

"But then..." she continued on, "You...you showed up and saved me..."

He had to tell her. Her memory was hazy, but it was going to come back to her.

"May," he murmured into her ear. "It wasn't a nightmare...it was real."

"It was..?" she cried, although deep down she knew everything seemed to fall into place. Why else would she be with Drew right now?

"It's alright, May. He can't hurt you anymore." Drew forced himself to stay strong for her sake. She needed him.

"But...why would he do that to me..? Did...did I do something to deserve it?" she whispered softly, her fragile body shaking as Drew held her.

Those words broke his heart. She didn't deserve anything that Brendan threw at her last night. She didn't deserve to be used by that conniving little scumbag, despite the mistakes she'd made.

"No," he spoke firmly, gently wiping away a tear. "You deserve so much better than him. You're a beautiful, talented girl and I...KNOW you can get through this."

Drew blushed awfully, but May had her head buried into his shoulder so she didn't see.

He couldn't believe he almost said those three words. I love you.

"Thank you..." she whispered, lifting up her head. She thought she sounded petty. Her voice was beginning to come back to her, but she had no idea how to thank him properly. He saved her...and all she could say was thank you.

Her eyes trailed down to his lips...

"May," he murmured.

She broke out into a genuine smile, before leaning in and softly kissing his lips.

Right there and then...Drew lost all sense of control as he kissed her back almost instantly.

They fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

May's intentional thank you kiss had been turned into a heated make out session...but she liked it. As she ran her hands through Drew's hair...she knew it was taking away the pain, if just for a moment.

She just wanted to be close to him, she wanted to feel him.

Drew had lost all sense of willpower in resisting her a long time ago, as he continued to kiss her.

But there was one little thought niggling at the back of his mind.

This was _wrong_. She was vulnerable, fragile. Not in the right state of mind.

But as the kiss softened and he gazed into her sapphire eyes...he knew this couldn't have been a mistake.

The smile on her face said it all.

"I..." she blushed.

He put a finger to her lips. "Don't say a word."

He then put his lips to hers and they resumed what they had started.

May knew, this was a million times more different than kissing Brendan. With Brendan, she felt as if she was under pressure to be good at this kind of thing or he'd dump her the next day.

With Drew, she could be herself. She wasn't exactly a master at kissing, but he made her feel like she could do whatever she wanted, without any added pressure.

_So wrong, it's right..._

They broke apart, gazing into each others eyes.

Her head was spinning. If somebody had told her a month ago that at some time in the near future she'd be in bed, making out with Drew Hayden, she wouldn't have believed them.

Drew turned a little more serious, trying to put aside his blossoming feelings for her, just for a moment. "I...I'm sorry about that..."

May blinked with surprise. "You don't have to be sorry. I was simply thanking you for saving my skin last night..." she broke off at the end. She couldn't help but smile at the ground, playing with the hem of the shirt that Drew gave her.

Despite the events of last night that were slowly making their way back to her, she no longer felt angst or fright.

Looking into Drew's eyes...she saw something completely magical.

"I...what are we, Drew?" she asked.

Drew thought for a moment. "We can be whatever you want us to be." A smile played at his lips.

May shyly bit her lip, and was about to speak until she heard the door to Drew's room open up.

_"Drewy?"_

Drew blinked, looking at the figure in the doorway. Her hair was messy and her smile was heartwarming as she skipped into the room and threw her arms around her big brother.

"Morning Lia, you're up early..." Drew smiled with affection for his little sister.

"Early? It's 10am!" she exclaimed, sticking out her tongue at him.

The emerald eyes of the little girl flickered to the other figure sitting nearby.

She gasped. "You...you're May Maple!" she exclaimed, her mouth dropping open. "You're really pretty..." she smiled shyly.

May smiled down at the little girl, who was clinging onto Drew like a baby monkey.

"Thank you Lia, you're adorable," May beamed.

Lia giggled, her eyes shining. "You're really nice too! But what are you doing here May Maple?"

"Just call me May," she grinned. "I was...uh..."

Lia cocked her head to one side. "Were you and Drewy doing what the grownups do?"

May blushed at this rather blunt little girl.

"Lia..." Drew sighed, using a serious tone of voice as he raised an eyebrow, although he didn't seem at all surprised by what she had said.

"But Emmy said that when a boy and a girl love each other very much, they-"

"Lia!" Drew cut her off, rolling his eyes with a sigh.

"Sorry big brother..." she giggled, nuzzling into his shoulder affectionately.

"Go play in your room or something..." Drew sighed with a smile. After all, he did love his irritating little sister. Soon after, she let go of Drew and her eyes twinkled to May.

"Aw...can I have a hug first, May?" she asked excitedly.

"Of course you can," May giggled, opening her arms and allowing this gorgeous little girl to wrap her tiny arms around her.

Lia was ecstatic. She watched SingOff with Drew every week since he'd come home, and she loved the girls known as Tiger Rose. They were pretty, talented and sweet, everything that a young girl aspired to be when she grew older.

"Bye May!" Lia beamed as she let go of the brunette and ran out of the door, giggling with the fact that she'd just met May Maple. All her friends were going to be so jealous!

The door came to a close, and May glanced at Drew. "Your sister is adorable!"

Drew shrugged, but a smile was plastered to his face. "Don't I know it."

"Why'd you send her away? She's really sweet..."

Drew smirked. "Because..." he pulled her onto his lap. "I want to spend time with you."

The corners of her mouth turned to a smile as she pressed herself closer to him.

"How are you feeling?" he murmured into her ear.

"I'm alright..." she replied back. "Still totally shaken up but I feel okay."

Drew was dying to kiss her again, but he didn't want to mess with her mind. She needed him to be there for her right now.

"I'm really sorry..." she whispered.

"Don't. You have nothing to be sorry for in my eyes," he replied solemnly.

"But what about everything I did? I flat out ignored you and concentrated on _him_, I started being a bitch to my friends and then I...accused Leaf of being a liar when she was just trying to warn me about Brendan..." she muttered, clearly ashamed of herself.

Drew already knew everything that had happened, but he pretended that he didn't. He decided against telling her about his phone call with Dawn right this second. "How did Leaf know Brendan's secret?"

She thought hard about that night. "She...found the pictures he'd taken of us all and he caught her. She also told me that he kissed her...oh my god, she was telling the truth!"

"It's okay..." he pulled her into an embrace as her eyes began to water yet again.

"But it's not okay! I have to go back to Ever Grande on Sunday, with absolutely no way to apologise to Leaf for what I did," May chewed on her lip anxiously. She thought about how she acted last week.

She knew. She was the one in the wrong, she acted like such a bitch!

"How can I convince her that I'm sorry..?" May trailed off.

Drew smiled. "Why don't you just do what May Maple does best?"

"What?" she questioned.

"Write her a song."

May's face lit up, much to Drew's delight. "That is such a good idea."

As May began to consider exactly what her song could be about, Drew spoke up about something that he'd been thinking about for a short while now.

"When you go back to Ever Grande...you know he's going to be there too."

Shit. A chill shocked down her spine like an electric shock.

But...he wasn't going to do anything, right?

The deal was: If May didn't tell the authorities about Brendan, then he wouldn't give the pictures to his bosses.

May had decided herself that if even one of the pictures was sent out or if he touched her in any way, she'd tell the police immediately.

"It'll be alright Drew...he won't go near me."

Drew was so confused. "What? You can't just say that! He's tried it on with you before, what's there to say he won't try it again?!"

May didn't want to tell him about the pact she made with Brendan. "We'll be in a house full of people...trust me on this one, I'll stay with the girls and nothing will happen."

Drew hadn't a clue how May could possibly know this...but there wasn't much he could do about it. He wanted to ring the police and tell them what had happened, but if May wasn't willing to cooperate then it was pointless to even try.

"I'm gonna miss you when you go back..." Drew sighed.

"I'll miss you too," May replied quietly.

A silence occurred between the two of them as they studied each others faces. Drew watched her every move, every blink of her sapphire eyes, every twitch of her nose.

May watched as he chewed his lip, smiled as his emerald eyes glinted. Her heart began to beat wildly...

She'd just broken up with Brendan...traumatised for life from the twisted events of last night.

Yet she felt so happy. Being here with Drew...she didn't want to be anywhere else right now.

"I don't understand..." she muttered.

Drew blinked. "What don't you understand?"

She thought for a moment, before curving her lips into a smile. "I don't understand why I want to kiss you again."

"I'm getting that feeling too," Drew smirked. "Must be a coincidence..."

He sealed the gap between them with a kiss.

May knew...it took her a long while to figure out, but her views had changed completely.

She realised how she was blatantly being used by Brendan...and how much Drew actually wanted her in comparison to him.

She also found that tears were pouring out of her eyes as she thought.

He broke the kiss soon after, wiping away her tears.

"Can...can we just stay like this forever?" May whispered, a smile on her face.

"I'd want nothing more," he smiled, taking her hands and entwining them with his.

May had never felt so wanted by another person in her life.

Drew...he was something special.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday - Kanto Region<strong>

"I can't wait to get up and dance with you, when the first dance is over."

Leaf blushed with a grin as she felt Gary's breath tingling against her ear. They'd been at the reception for quite a long while now; eaten dinner and now they were watching Liam and Daisy have their first dance with all the other guests.

"Shut up Gary...and keep your filthy hands to yourself," she grinned back.

"But I thought you liked my filthy hands..." he whispered back, making her giggle. He looked absolutely gorgeous in his suit, and she found her heart beating faster as he slipped his arms around her waist.

"I love you baby," he purred,

"I love you too Gare. Now shut up and watch your sister."

Gary sighed. As he watched Liam twirling Daisy around on the dancefloor, he wanted nothing more than to do the same with Leaf.

The brunet still couldn't believe that Leaf was actually his, it was the best feeling.

"Aw that was so cute!" Leaf gushed as the music slowed.

"It was just dancing," Gary shrugged.

Leaf giggled as the crowd of people seemed to dispense, some heading off to the bar, some sitting down, while others headed for the dance floor.

"Leaf!"

Leaf turned around to see her mother, Rachel, waving her over.

Leaf rolled her eyes with a sigh, before dragging Gary over with her.

"Hey!" he growled. Leaf just laughed.

Rachel was standing with Delia, Ash and Misty.

"I need a picture of you four together!" she smiled brightly, referring to Ash, Misty, Leaf and Gary.

"_Do we have to..?_" Gary and Ash whined at the same time.

"Come on Ash, stop being such a baby," Misty laughed.

Delia smiled. She liked Misty a lot; she was smart, witty and definitely knew how to keep Ash in check.

After what seemed like never ending flashbulbs and smiles, Delia and Rachel left the four of them alone.

"What are you even supposed to do at a wedding?" Ash asked.

_"You've like, never been to a wedding before?"_

Misty cringed, she knew exactly who was standing behind her and Ash. She tuned around to see her three sisters smiling at her.

"What do you want?" she asked bitterly.

"They're only asking me a question, Mist, it's fine," Ash smiled.

He looked at Daisy, Lily and Violet. "No I haven't...neither have Gary and Leaf. Pallet Town is a pretty small place."

Lily grinned. "Weddings in Cerulean City are the best! A lot of them tend to take place on the romantic Cerulean Cape..." she trailed off dreamily.

Violet turned to Gary with a smirk on her lips. "...do you ever plan on getting married, Gary?"

Gary blushed. He was thankful that Leaf was so deep in conversation with Misty that she hadn't even noticed. "I...um...hadn't really thought that far yet..."

The brunet inwardly kicked himself. Stupid Sensational Sisters, they always managed to turn him into a blabbering mess!

And they _knew_ it.

"You're like, a very good looking guy, Gary..." Daisy Waterflower joined in, looking at Gary with a demeaning smirk on her face.

They were trying to play with him and he knew it. Yet he couldn't stop his stammer. "Uh...thanks..." he scratched his head awkwardly, trying to hide his blush.

However, Misty caught on to what was happening. "_Freaking sisters!_" she muttered under her breath.

She spoke louder so Leaf could hear her. "I think my sisters are trying to steal your boyfriend," she rolled her eyes.

Leaf turned around and looked over at Gary. "I better go save him then," she giggled, after seeing his embarrassment.

"Haha! They were doing that before as well, he goes all red. It's so funny!" Ash laughed, however, he stopped as Misty gave him a piercing stare.

She spoke slowly. "What do you mean _they were doing that before_?"

Ash gulped. "Heh...it was just before the wedding, you know, before you got out of the car..."

Ash had no idea why this was bothering Misty so much, any time her sisters were around, she'd tense up and become so awfully angry.

Misty knew she had to calm down right now before she ended up making a scene. That was the last thing she wanted.

She took a deep breath. "Oh, alright. It doesn't matter..."

Ash just blinked, confused. "Okay," he smiled, holding out his hand, "Come and dance with me?"

Misty giggled. "I'd love to."

* * *

><p>The reception had been going on for about an hour or two, and now everybody was calming down as a slow song began to play.<p>

"I love this song!" Leaf announced, grabbing hold of Gary's arm. "Let's go dance some more."

Gary was tired - he'd only just sat down but he knew how much this particular song meant to Leaf. It was her favourite.

"Let's go," he smiled. This was the first slow song he'd heard since the reception began, and slow-dancing with Leaf sounded very appealing right now.

_Look at the stars_  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>  
><em>And everything you do<em>  
><em>Yeah they were all yellow<em>

Leaf's heart began to beat faster. She pressed herself close to Gary as they danced together. It was the most perfect moment.

I came along  
>I wrote a song for you<br>And all the things you do  
>And it was called yellow<p>

Her hands hung on his shoulders while his loving arms were wrapped around her waist. It was so beautiful.

_So then I took my turn_  
><em>Oh what a thing to've done<em>  
><em>And it was all yellow<em>

She lifted up her head slightly to look at him. He looked so unbelievably happy, and Leaf just couldn't believe that she was the source of his happiness.

_Your skin_  
><em>Oh yeah your skin and bones<em>  
><em>Turn into something beautiful<em>  
><em>You know you know I love you so<em>  
><em>You know I love you so<em>

A memory came back to her. She remembered when this song first came out ten years ago and she learnt all the words. She remembered how she used to sing it to Gary, and he'd always cheer and clap for her, telling her she was a really good singer.

_I swam across_  
><em>I jumped across for you<em>  
><em>Oh what a thing to do<em>  
><em>'Cause you were all yellow<em>

Ten years later...and here they were; a couple dancing to the very song that reminded both Leaf and Gary of various childhood events.

These were events they would rather not forget.

_I drew a line_  
><em>I drew a line for you<em>  
><em>Oh what a thing to do<em>  
><em>And it was all yellow<em>

Of course, it wasn't just Leaf and Gary sharing a moment together. Everyone was here, dancing with somebody. It was special.

_Your skin_  
><em>Oh yeah your skin and bones<em>  
><em>Turn into something beautiful<em>  
><em>And you know<em>  
><em>For you I'd bleed myself dry<em>  
><em>For you I'd bleed myself dry<em>

Gary used a finger to lift up her head, before tenderly kissing her lips. The brunette smiled into the kiss, never wanting this to end.

_It's true_  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>  
><em>Look how they shine for<em>  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>

_Look how they shine_

They broke the kiss, looking into each others eyes...

_Look at the stars_  
><em>Look how they shine for you<em>  
><em>And all the things that you do..<em>

Time seemed to slow completely. That moment, Leaf knew she would never forget it.

He entwined his hands with hers as the DJ grabbed a microphone and began to speak.

"Now, ladies and gentleman! We have a very special guest who's come to perform a song of hers tonight, personally invited by the bride and groom themselves! Please give it up for Miss Maybelle Maple!"

"_What_?!" Leaf's jaw dropped open in surprise as the crowd began to cheer.

May walked onto the stage looking absolutely stunning in southern looking attire.

Leaf blinked. No crop top or short shorts...she was wearing a bandana...and holding her guitar!

What was going on..?

Leaf looked to Gary, who seemed completely unsurprised.

"Did...did you plan this?!" she near screamed at him.

Gary smiled. "I didn't plan it, I merely helped."

Drew appeared by the other side of Leaf, a smile on his face.

"Drew! What the hell?! Next thing you'll be telling me is Da...oh my god." Leaf turned around to see Dawn in a midnight blue dress, tugging Paul's hand as they drew nearer. Ash and Misty also made their way towards Leaf and the others.

Leaf was shocked. Everybody knew about this but her. The eight of them were all together again...what on earth was going on?!

May grabbed the microphone and began to speak. "Hey everyone, alright I'll make this short and sweet. I...I messed up. I did something awful to one of my best friends, and I regret it so much. I wish I could turn back time and tell myself what I know now, but I can't," Her sorrowful eyes darted to the brunette. "Leaf...I'm so sorry. You don't have to forgive me for my mistakes, but I just want to let you know that I apologise for what I did. I wrote this song for you and Gary, about the past...and maybe even your future. I just really hope that you like it."

She sat down on the stool and began to strum her guitar.

_She said, I was seven and you were nine_  
><em>I looked at you like the stars that shined<em>  
><em>In the sky, the pretty lights<em>

_And our daddies used to joke about the two of us_  
><em>Growing up and falling in love<em>  
><em>And our mommas smiled and rolled their eyes<em>

_And said, Oh, my, my, my_

_Take me back to the house and the backyard tree_  
><em>Said you'd beat me up, you were bigger then me<em>  
><em>You never did, you never did<em>

_Take me back when our world was one block wide_  
><em>I dared you to kiss me and ran when you tried<em>  
><em>Just two kids, you and I, oh my, my, my, my<em>

_Well I was sixteen when suddenly_  
><em>I wasn't that little girl you used to see<em>  
><em>But your eyes still shined, like pretty lights<em>

_And our daddies used to joke about the two of us_  
><em>They never believed we'd really fall in love<em>  
><em>And our momma's smiled and rolled their eyes<em>

_And said, Oh, my, my, my_

_Take me back to the creek beds we turned up_  
><em>2am riding in your truck<em>  
><em>And all I need, is here next to me<em>

_Take me back to the time we had our very first fight_  
><em>The slamming of doors instead of kissing goodnight<em>  
><em>You stayed outside 'til the morning light, oh, my, my, my, my<em>

_A few years had gone and come around_  
><em>We were sitting at our favourite spot in town<em>  
><em>And you looked at me, got down on one knee<em>

_Take me back to the time when we walked down the aisle_  
><em>Our whole town came and our mommas cried<em>  
><em>You said, 'I do' and I did too<em>

_Take me home where we met so many years before_  
><em>We'll rock our babies on that very front porch<em>  
><em>After all this time, you and I<em>

_When I'll be eighty seven you'll be eighty nine_  
><em>I'll still look at you like the stars that shine<em>  
><em>In the sky, oh, my, my, my<em>

As May sang the last note and everybody applauded her, Leaf had tears in her eyes.

Beforehand, she didn't know what it was like to have friends other than Ash and Gary, and she just couldn't believe that May would go through all that trouble just for her. That song was beautiful.

The parts about the past events were so scarily accurate too. Gary was two years older than Leaf; as kids, their world was definitely one block wide; their parents would always joke that the two of them would fall in love someday; and who could forget their fight in the SingOff house when Gary confessed his love for her.

It was a beautiful apology. No female friend had ever done something so special for her.

"Thank you so much everyone!" May smiled. Before Leaf even knew what was happening, she jumped up on stage and threw her arms around May, crying her eyes out.

"Hey! I didn't plan on making you cry with it..." May smiled.

The smile on Leaf's face was enough to know she appreciated it. "I loved it so much May...alright, I forgive you for what happened."

May's face lit up with a smile. "You do? You have no idea how much that means to me..." she whispered gratefully as they exited the stage. "I'm back to my old self now."

Leaf thought. "Wait - did you break up with Brendan?!"

She nodded with a smile, her eyes trailing to Drew, "I think I figured out who I really love." Leaf giggled.

They met back up with Drew, Dawn, Paul, Ash, Misty and Gary. All of them seemed to be so elated, even Paul, who had his hands wrapped around Dawn's waist.

Everyone seemed a little different to the last time they all saw each other, they all had a lot of catching up to do.

Everything was exactly how they planned it to be.

It was one of the most perfect days that Leaf had ever experienced, nothing could possibly ruin it...

_...could it?_

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Aw :3 I know I said that this chapter would include the drama that's to come, but I wanted to end it there because I'm all mysterious and stuff. Cute fluff this chapter, wedding finale next chapter! The girls will also be going back to Ever Grande next chapter, so yeah ;')

I hope you liked it! Reviews make me very happy and replying to them is fun too, so I'd appreciate any kind of feedback. I've been feeling so down lately but you guys never fail to make me smile, so thank you everyone ^-^ Also, it's been almost a year since I joined fanfiction! Time flies huh..

OK GUYS I WANT TO CRY TEARS OF JOY AND RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS BECAUSE CAMERON QUISENG JUST TWEETED ME AND I CANNOT BREATHE. HE'S SO GORGEOUS AND I LOVE ALLSTAR WEEKEND AND HE KNOWS I EXIST HELP ME.

I think I'm okay now.

Songs included in this chapter:

Yellow - Coldplay  
>Mary's Song - Taylor Swift<p>

-Love, Tay


	26. Chapter 26: The Road To Recovery

Hello fanfiction peoples. Today is December 14th. That date probably means nothing to you, but here's some trivia: this time last year was the day I first posted this story! Crazy stuff. Anyway, on with the story!

Replies to reviews:

**TheScoutFinch** - Thank you, that means so much! :D

**DorkyReader859** - Aw, I'm just glad you liked it! :3

**liv2laugh00** - haha yeah, that's why I used the song! ^-^ aw you're so sweet ily.

**Left-to-die** - Yeah I kind of agree with that, she's pretty messed up right now xD It's why I'm trying not to rush their relationship too. Gosh, Yellow is my favourite song of all time, I don't understand how some people don't know it. Trust me, the last chapter was sweet all the way through but this one...not entirely. Constant happiness is just too cliche these days.

**Fprmr1** - Oh, if only ;) Omg, Yellow is my favourite Coldplay song^_^ It just seemed really fitting for that moment. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

**pikachushinystar** - ahaha you're funny xD Yeah it's all good...for now.

**eeveeluvr** - Aw! I'm glad you liked it. Well they're kind of together. It would be too soon for May to actually become official with him (but it will happen) teehee.

**LittleMusicLover** - haha! Yeah, everybody does seem to do things behind her back, I never actually noticed. Misty's sisters play their part soon enough. Hope you like the chapter! ^_^

**ContestshippingRose** - awwww thank you lovely! ^-^ That totally put a smile on my face, hehe!

**CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva** - It will end...soon. Maybe. I'm not sure how many chapters I have left to do, but I'll probably cry when I finish it xD Enjoy the chapter!

**Gloss Gurl** - I cried too, the first time I heard it. Pfft it's not perfect! I try though;') Hope you like the chapter ^-^

**MudkipLover33** - Ahaha, so suspenseful right? I tried to make it all cute and stuff to make up for parts of this chapter...yeah you'll see what I mean xD

**Otaku'25** - They're only kind of together, but it's a step in the right direction xD Omg I was so happy! I'm such an Allstar Weekend fangirl too, I love them :3

**Fangora the Dragon** - YEAAAAH THEY DANCED TO YELLOW XD don't worry about it, your reviews are so amusing and fangirly, they don't need changing ;)

**Pretty Woman** - That is actually a good idea..

**LittleWoman9497** - I had to make Lia catch them, so cute! Last chapter gave me such a nice feeling too... Hehe, they go back to Ever Grande soon and SingOff returns once more. I thought it was a unique idea, like I started this story when One Direction were only well known in the uk, and one year later they're the biggest boyband in the world. Amazing. N'aw, thank you so much!^_^

**Star0890** - Aw thank you honey. I hope this chapter is good too! :D

**malory79080** - I like ending chapters like that, it gives it a bit of an edge xD Amy may just appear. The answer to your question is that I have no idea. We shall see how everything plays out, because I have no idea right now.

**Kaurz9802** - Wow, that is so weird! But in a coincidental kind of way. N'awwww that is so cute! I love having a guy best friend, we sit in science together and sing One Direction (he's gay) xD Nya! I know I already thanked you for this in a PM, but it is the sweetest thing. Like ever. You just make me feel like I'm good at this. I understand perfectly, when I was writing the previous chapter I was thinking of a certain someone and it just all seemed to flow exactly how I wanted it to ^_^ You're very welcome, I just feel so honoured that my writing does that to you, I never would have thought that, in a million years, I'd leave someone speechless after a chapter, or be your idea of perfection. I love you to the freaking moon and back okay? Love from your Hunger Games buddy! ^_^

**xRissychanx** - Aw thank you! I couldn't wait any longer for the contestshipping, it's too cute:3

**SpecialxGirl** - haha! I wouldn't say that Drew is rich, but he definitely isn't poor either. That would be quite a good idea actually, we'll see how that plays out.

**LoveLoverGrl** - ahaha it might just do that.

**Lil'MissEya** - Hmm now that you mention it, a shirtless Drew definitely could have been a possibility. Ahaha why pink? xD Ugh this is a pairing that I should hate but it's so hot that I actually can't hate it...I also imagine Brendan being the more dominant one and I can totally see him doing various things to Drew that I should not be thinking about right now. Now I have mental images in my head again. (sorry Drew ily) kyaaaa I need help. *fans self*

**GoldenGloryQueen** - ahaha ikr! ^_^

**julie. ramirez2015** - awww thank you! ^-^

**AnimexLuver4Ever** - I know I PMd you already but I just wanted to say thank you! ^-^ I'm just super glad you like my story!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong>

Me: I'm bored of doing this myself, so I'm handing it over to Paul!

Paul: no I didn't agree to this.

Me: *gives death glare*

Dawn: *gives death glare*

Paul: ... Alright, Tay doesn't fucking own Pokemon! Thank God.

Me: Excuse me, Pokemon is a kids show and swearing is not acceptable here. Be gone.

Paul: This stupid story is rated T.

Me: I hope you die and get eaten alive by Slender Man.

Paul: I am Slender Man.

Me: what.

Paul: what.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 26: The Road To Recovery**

**...**

* * *

><p>"<em>Ow<em>! Ash, you're stepping on my feet!"

Ash laughed. "Sorry, Mist..." he replied sheepishly.

"Hm," she smiled, she could never stay mad at him.

They'd been dancing for about five minutes, as the eight of them had spent the last half an hour catching up.

Dawn and Paul were talking about their date, and how they were now together.

Leaf told the others (excluding Ash and Misty) about Gary's plan to get her to be his girlfriend. They thought it was adorable.

Ash and Misty didn't have a lot to say, apart from Misty talking about some of the idiotic things that Ash had done this week, and how she'd missed Dawn and May.

As for May and Drew...they had a hard time explaining the events of this past week. May decided she couldn't tell the girls about what Brendan had done, making up a story that he had cheated on her instead.

But May was so happy. The others had gone inside after talking for so long, she could see Ash and Misty giggling and dancing together through the window.

As it was summer, the warm air whipped around her legs as the sun was beginning to set. Drew was with her, dressed in formal attire.

"Do you not feel like the odd-one-out?" he asked with a smile, referring to her clothes.

"Why would I?" she replied with a shrug. "Besides, I prefer cute little red dresses to annoying long ones."

"Fair enough," he grinned. "For the record, you look very cute in that dress."

"Thank you..."!May smiled, but something was lingering in the back of her mind. "Drew...what are we?" she asked for the second time that week.

"What do you want us to be?" he asked after a moment's thought.

She shifted her foot on the spot. "I'm not sure. One thing I know for sure is that I really like you, Drew, but I don't think I'm ready to go straight into another relationship right now. I just need some time."

He understood perfectly, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. The last thing he wanted was to rush her, especially with the competition fast approaching.

"I can wait," he smiled a genuine smile.

She smiled, remembering their kisses earlier this week. Right now just wasn't the time, but she wanted to be with him. "Thank you," she replied.

"Should we head back inside?" he asked.

"Yeah," she laughed, heading to his side. Her hand touched with his and she felt a spark inside her.

Everything had changed so much, and she knew it was going to get better from here.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, so then Paul just takes me to this creepy looking forest and I'm like 'This is not where you take a girl on the first date!' and then he said-"<p>

"Troublesome!" Paul hissed angrily, his face flushed.

Dawn giggled, turning away from Leaf and Misty to look at him. "Pipe down Paulie Bear, I'm trying to tell a story."

They all burst into laughter around the table as Paul groaned, gently hitting his head on the wood repeatedly. Dawn just smiled sheepishly and blushed, forgetting that she wasn't supposed to call him that in public.

_Oops_.

"Paulie Bear? Oh man you are _so_ whipped!" Gary laughed.

"Shut it," Paul growled, putting his head down.

"I think nicknames are sweet," Misty smirked, "Right, Ashy-boy?"

The group sniggered. May and Drew headed over and took a seat next to them.

This reception was turning into a beautiful affair. Everybody was having fun, and Daisy - the bride herself - was absolutely ecstatic.

Leaf stood up from the table, "I need to go freshen up, back in a minute..."

May stood up suddenly, sensing a good opportunity to talk. "I'll come too."

They headed through the doors to the bathroom. The walls were a rose pink, and baskets of petals lay everywhere.

"Drew would love it in here," May laughed.

Leaf smiled. "He would," she headed over to the mirror and began to touch up on her makeup, and May did the same.

"You know May...I honestly can't thank you enough for this. I thought this day couldn't get any better, and then you showed up. It means so much," Leaf giggled happily.

"It was the least I could do," she shrugged modestly.

"I'm sorry about what happened between you and Brendan, though. Getting cheated on must be hard to deal with..." Leaf bit her lip. She couldn't even imagine the pain she would go through if Gary were to betray her trust like that.

May felt so guilty that she had to lie, but it was for the best. If she had told the truth, then Misty, Leaf and Dawn would have done something about it.

May didn't want anyone to know. Then the police would be involved, and although May would have loved to see Brendan arrested...her story would end up on the cover of every magazine.

Everyone would know her heart-wrenching secret, she couldn't let it happen.

It was something she only wanted to share with Drew. It was a new found bond, a terrible secret bringing them closer together.

Of course...she didn't mind at all.

"It's alright, I'm glad it's over. The relationship was making me so unhappy, after what happened at the house...I honestly thought that I'd lost you, Leaf."

Leaf held back her tears. "This has only made us stronger. Come here May..."

She held out her arms and May embraced her straight away, the second time that night.

May noticed that Leaf was wearing her Tiger Rose tiara.

"Hey Leaf...remember when I lost my tiara in the house?" she laughed.

"Oh my God, remember that? You were like, screaming at Drew because you thought he'd given it to Brianna!"

May smiled sheepishly. "We've been through a heck of a lot. I'm not even kidding when I say that SingOff has changed my life for the better."

"Mine too. I think I've matured while I've been a part of this, or at least that's what everyone says. Anyway, the competition's still on, we go back in a couple of days," Leaf smiled. She was so excited to go back, but also scared to leave Gary...

"Who's still in?" May asked, she could hardly remember...

"Us, Electric Heart, Ursula, Solidad and...Brendan," Leaf spoke that last name as if it were poison.

"Three weeks left then," May said. Their SingOff journey was slowly reaching its end, and they both knew it.

"Let's go and make the most of this time while we can," Leaf smiled, following May as she headed for the door.

They headed back to the table and Leaf quickly noticed that Gary wasn't in his seat.

"Where's Gare?" she asked, moving a piece of hair away from her face.

"Some chick dragged him off somewhere," Paul shrugged.

"_Paul!_ Gary is Leaf's boyfriend, don't say it like that!" Dawn glared at him.

"Say what like that?! Ow!" he growled, holding his leg underneath the table. Dawn had a mean kick with those heels on.

"So insensitive!" she huffed.

"It's alright guys...I'll go look for him..." Leaf laughed nervously before heading away.

* * *

><p>"I've hardly seen you all night, you been having a good time?" Gary smiled at the brunette next to him.<p>

"Yeah," Amy replied, her expression was one of slight fear. "It's been great but...there's something I need to do."

Gary blinked - what on earth was she talking about?

However, his curiosity was pulled to a halt as Amy leaned in and pulled him into a kiss.

He was shocked, paralysed to the spot.

"Gare..?"

Gary moved away as fast as he could, looking at the girl who'd just said his name.

Her lips were trembling as her eyes continued to dart from Gary, to Amy and then repeat. Her throat was dry as tears rose to the brim of her eyes like the lava of a molten volcano.

She couldn't accept what she just saw.

"Leaf..." Gary spoke, his heart beating at about a million miles per hour.

Her eyes darkened. "You...you were kissing her!"

"You have to believe me, I wasn't!" he replied frantically, turning his back on Amy to face Leaf.

"I just saw it with my own eyes!" she snarled back, her eyes filled with hurt and hatred.

This was the reason why she didn't want to fall in love with him.

He always was going to break her heart - she should have realised it sooner.

"You have to listen to me, she kissed me! I'd never do anything to hurt you," he desperately entwined his hands with hers and for a second, Leaf thought that everything was going to be okay.

_But he kissed Amy._

She shook herself out of her thoughts, pushing him away. "Get off me." She glanced at Amy with a look of pure disgust, "I don't know who's to blame, but I don't want anything to do with either of you, ever again! You can have each other!"

In that second, Gary felt his heart break.

She was walking away, tears streaming down her face and he just stood there.

He turned around to see another tearful face behind him.

"I...I'm so sorry..." she whispered.

Gary wasn't the type to be bitter towards anyone, but the fact that he'd just lost the most important person in his life, was becoming a little too much to handle.

"I don't care, Amy!" he roared back. "You've ruined my fucking relationship, get out of my face! I don't ever want to see you again!"

Her mouth opened in shock, and fresh tears came pouring out of her eyes as she walked away. She tried to cry discreetly but the minute she stepped foot outside, she just broke down crying on the floor.

What was she thinking? She'd built up a life in Pallet Town, it wasn't anything flashy but it was a sweet, cosy life.

She had a family there, Professor Oak was like her own grandfather, and Rachel and Delia always treated her like one of their own.

She'd completely broken her and Gary's friendship, and because of that; there was nothing left for her here.

She swallowed hard as he began to make her way to a place she once called home.

But by the time the others would have made their own way back...

...Amy would be long gone.

* * *

><p>Leaf curled up her hands into fists; smashing her hands on the basin of the sink. She'd ended up taking refuge in the bathrooms once again, as she couldn't let the girls see her in this state, nor did she want Daisy to see her.<p>

Leaf didn't want to ruin her big day like this.

She tried to compose herself but she was too fired up for that. She took one look at the rose petals on the side and knocked every basket to the floor.

They reminded her of Gary.

Leaf then stepped on the petals and angrily squashed them together with her shoes, imagining that it was Gary's face.

By the time she stepped off the petals, she took one look at the mush of red on the floor and her eyes began to tear up once more.

It looked a lot like her relationship with HIM right now.

The door opened, and Leaf felt herself stiffen as Daisy stepped in.

She froze - _shit!_

"Leaf?" she blinked as the younger girl began to cry. "What happened?!"

She could never lie to Daisy. "It's Gary..." she whispered. "He kissed Amy."

Daisy pulled Leaf into an embrace as shock took over her body. "What?! But you two were dancing together not too long ago, what on earth happened?!"

Leaf continued to cry as she told Daisy about what she saw.

"I'm sorry..." Leaf spoke afterwards.

"What are you apologising for?" Daisy asked, grabbing some toilet paper and handing it over to Leaf.

"Thank you..." she smiled as she took the paper. "I...I'm sorry for ruining your day like this..."

Daisy shook her head. "You've nothing of the sort, to be honest, I was expecting some kind of drama today."

"You were?" she replied in surprise.

"You and Gare are the most explosive couple I've ever known, I had a feeling something was going to happen today...but did he really kiss her..?" Daisy muttered.

"Do you not believe me?" Leaf asked.

"I don't know what to think...but that boy loves you Leaf. He always has done."

Leaf looked down, shifting her foot uneasily. Various memories of Gary and herself popped into her mind and she wanted to cry.

Why would he throw it all away like that..?

"I...I don't know what to believe anymore..." she stuttered, trying to keep herself together. "It hurts so much, Daisy."

"Love hurts Leafy. Liam and I have been around the block more than a few times before. We've had our ups and downs, and they've only made us stronger," Daisy blushed like a schoolgirl talking about her older crush.

"I guess so, but I've lost a lot of trust in Gary..." Leaf sighed, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Daisy called out.

But Leaf simply continued to walk ahead.

She quickly hurried out of the building before Gary or hawk-eye Misty spotted her.

Home wasn't far at all, she just needed somewhere to go and clear her head.

That and...she didn't want to talk to Gary right now.

The air was cool, yet it still held some warmth as it touched her skin.

It was almost soothing, until Leaf remembered the reason why she was out here in the first place.

Her hand curled itself up into a fist, and tears shot to the brim of her eyes as she thought about Gary kissing another girl.

Was she not special enough? Now that he finally got her, was he bored already?

Leaf swallowed hard, and around ten minutes later she arrived back home, but looking across the street, she saw something she never expected to see.

Amy was leaving.

She didn't spot Leaf at first, so the brunette stood and watched her tug her case out of the door, clearly fighting with her emotions.

But then Amy looked up to see the girl that she'd come to hate these past few weeks.

"What are you staring at me for?!" she growled.

Leaf blinked in surprise, looking down. Amy was usually calm and collective, but she'd been drinking a little - just like everyone else - and now she'd changed. "I...I'm not..."

Amy gave her a death glare. "You are. What are you even doing here anyway?! Why not go back to the reception where you have your perfect boyfriend and best friends and family and your perfect little life!"

Leaf found herself rising to this, she was trying not to let it get to her, but Amy making these assumptions about her and telling her she had an easy life was so angering.

"You don't know anything about me!" Leaf snapped, walking closer to her. "When I was younger, I never had any friends apart from Gary and Ash. I...never told anyone about this, but I was bullied when I was younger. Those girls, they made life hell for me and yet I never told anyone about it," Leaf lifted up her dress to show Amy her knee.

Amy opened her mouth in shock for just a moment, there was an ugly scar right there.

Leaf was quiet for a moment, wondering about what Amy was going to do next.

She didn't care. Instead, she continued on walking to a nearby car and loaded up her suitcases. "You think _you_ had it bad? I watched both of my parents die when I was just seven years old!"

Hearing just that little part of her story was truly heart breaking to Leaf, but there was no possible way that Amy was mentally stable - she couldn't possibly drive in the state that she was in right now...

"Amy, listen to me!" Leaf called out in desperation as Amy closed the trunk.

"Gary was the only person I ever loved..." Tears began to fall down her cheeks and she wiped them away in anguish, "...Yet, he didn't love me back. He loves _you_ instead, his perfect little childhood friend. _Cute_." She spoke the last word as if it was made of poison

"Do not get in that car!" Leaf snarled. She didn't show that Amy's words were hurting her. She also didn't care about what happened earlier.

If she left Amy alone then she was going to do something that would haunt Leaf for the rest of her life.

"Goodbye, Leaf," Amy spoke patronisingly, slamming the car door.

"Amy! You can't drive a car in your condition right now, please, you have to listen to me!"

Leaf was screaming out of her lungs right now. She was the only one who could help this poor, misguided soul.

That's all she was. Amy didn't have a family, Pallet Town and the Professor were all she had. Now she realised what was going on, her heart wrenched out to her.

Her story tug on Leaf's heartstrings, tears streamed down her face in fright. "Please stop this! _AMY_!"

Leaf had to dive to the side for her life, as Amy directed the car straight at her. Her heart was racing at a million miles an hour. She could have been killed...

But even then, Leaf couldn't hate her. Amy continued driving as Leaf slowly made her way up to her feet, screaming for her to stop.

But as Leaf looked on...Amy had stopped.

She'd crashed straight into Leaf and Gary's oak tree.

"**AMY!**" Leaf screamed, running as fast as she could over to the car. The door was locked and Leaf couldn't do anything to open it. Looking in the car, Amy was clearly unconscious and hurt.

"What am I going to do..?" Leaf whispered frantically to herself. She'd left her bag at the reception, so she couldn't even phone for an ambulance.

"_Leaf._"

The brunette froze, not even bothering to turn around. She knew who was there.

"Gary...what are you doing here..?"

"I followed you back here and...I saw everything," Gary swiped his phone out of his pocket and tossed it to Leaf. "Call an ambulance," he muttered.

She couldn't believe it, she'd never seen Gary this upset in her life.

As Leaf began to dial, Gary grabbed an old tree branch that had fallen off and began to attack the car window with it. Once the window was open, he put his arm through and unlocked the car door, dragging Amy out from under the rubble.

"It's on the way," Leaf whispered after she made the call, but Gary still wasn't looking at her.

"Gare..?"

She stood up, and Gary buried his face in his hands. He was crying over Amy's limp, barely-breathing body.

"_I...I don't want you to see me like this!_" he growled at Leaf.

"It's alright Gary, Amy will be okay," she embraced him and he clung onto her as if his life depended on it. Usually, it was him comforting her over something.

Now their roles were reversed...and she didn't like it.

"I know that..." he wiped his tear stained eyes as lights and flashing occurred from around them. The paramedics were here to handle things from now. "But this whole thing is my fault!"

Leaf opened her mouth in shock, willing herself not to cry. "It's not your fault! It was nobody's fault, Amy...she's-"

"I'm the one to blame!" Gary yelled. "All she did was tell me her feelings, and I said these awful things to her...I told her I hated her, and that I never wanted to see her again!"

After that, Gary just broke down.

Leaf cupped his face in her hands. "Gary, you don't understand! This whole thing didn't occur because of you!"

"What?" Gary blinked, wiping his tears away.

"Amy...she's had a hard life. She's is mentally ill, Gare. It's not all your fault - don't ever think that!" Leaf felt her lower lip tremble.

"How do you know..?" he asked. They both turned to see the medics putting the poor girl on a stretcher and taking her over to the ambulance. She had a nasty gash on her forehead, and cuts and bruises lay all over her body. Leaf felt her eyes cast over to Amy's wrists. The bracelets that she once had had slipped off, revealing deep, self inflicted wounds that made Leaf shiver.

"Can we have this conversation later..?" Leaf whispered to Gary as one of the medics began to ask her questions.

Gary nodded, clasping her hand as his body shivered.

He wasn't going to let go for the world.

* * *

><p>"<em>To all our passengers on board today; our flight from Saffron City to Ever Grande City is due to land in approximately five minutes. We hope you've enjoyed flying with us today.<em>"

"Yay! I'm so excited to go back!" May squealed with delight.

Now all the bonds between her friends were healed, May felt more alive than ever and was desperate to get back to song writing and performing.

Although there was just one slight hitch. _Brendan_.

The thought of him made her want to throw up right now, but she was almost certain that he wouldn't do anything to harm her, now that she knew his secret.

She knew that Brendan was going to have to be extremely careful if he wanted to keep his job, he wouldn't dare jeopardise it.

"Yeah..." Dawn sighed, although she looked a little lost.

"What's the matter?" Misty turned around to Dawn.

"It's stupid, I'm just really missing Paul already..." Dawn smiled sadly as May put her arm around her.

"I'm missing Ash too, but all those guys want is for us to win this. They don't want us to be sad," Misty smiled. Her arm was around Leaf, who was quiet.

They all knew; she was still recovering from the trauma of Saturday night.

But there was something else - unknown to the rest of the girls - that Leaf was thinking about.

* * *

><p><strong>Flashback...<strong>

**Saturday.**

_"Gramps."_

_Leaf didn't even turn around as Gary softly called his grandfather over._

_They were sitting alone in the waiting room of the hospital, before Professor Oak as well as a few others made their way inside._

_They were tired, scared and past caring right now, as Leaf had her head on his shoulder. Gary looked down to see her eyes closed._

_"What...what on earth happened..?" Professor Oak trembled. This was hurting him so much, Amy was so much more than just a lab assistant to him._

_She was a sweet girl, and he had no idea that her smile covered up so much misery and pain._

_Gary didn't see the point of lying to him, so he told his grandfather everything as Leaf slept beside him._

_But she wasn't actually asleep._

_"I...Amy..." Professor Oak then did something that Gary had never seen him do before. Not even when his grandmother died._

_He was crying. His legs were shaking and his face showed so much emotion as he stared into the eyes of his tearful grandson._

_Gary wanted to get up and hug him but he couldn't, because of Leaf._

_"I can't believe she was going through so much suffering...and none of us did anything about it!"_

_"Gramps, none of us knew a thing. There was no way we could have done anything."_

_Professor Oak looked down at his grandson, who had his arm affectionately placed around Leaf._

_"I know."_

_The room was silent for a few moments, everyone was quiet. Everyone who was close to Amy was here, apart from Daisy and Liam._

_As it was their wedding night, naturally everyone thought it was best to keep quiet, so they could spend the night together._

_Gary felt awful hiding this tragedy from his sister but he refused to ruin her night._

_Professor Oak walked over to sit next to Gary, ruffling his hair with a smile._

_"Hey! Don't do that, Gramps," Gary rolled his eyes._

_"Looking at you and little Leafy together...it really tugs at my heartstrings," Professor Oak smiled._

_Gary looked at Leaf with a smile of adoration. He loved her...he always did._

_He knew that there was a light at the end of this dark tunnel. "You know...someday, maybe I'll even have the guts to do what Liam did today. I love her, Gramps."_

_Professor Oak felt so deeply touched by this._

_Little Gary was finally growing up._

* * *

><p>Leaf smiled. Gary was her entire world, and the events of Saturday only made them stronger. Amy was still recovering in hospital, and the Professor had told Leaf that she was going to get help for her problems.<p>

She was on the road to recovery...

Leaf knew that she had to be strong too.

She was going to do it for the girls and for the memories...

That, and Tiger Rose simply wouldn't be the same without her.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Hi! I'm sorry it took so long, I had really bad Writers Block for this story for a few weeks. Not to mention my Fairy Tail addiction is slowly but surely taking over my life.

I'm just so happy right now. I got accepted into the college that I really want to go to, it's Christmas in 11 days, my mock exams are over and yesterday I went to see the auditions of The Voice UK!

It was amazing. I was right at the front and within walking distance of will. , Jessie J, Tom Jones and Danny from The Script! He's beautiful in person... Omg he was walking off backstage and I screamed "I LOVE YOU DANNY" and he looked right at me and smiled and said "I love you too"

I died. A lot.

So yeah, I love you guys! ^_^ I'm not really too sure if I liked this chapter or not though. I hope it was alright:(

There aren't going to be too many chapters left now, just to tell you..

I love you all and since I probably won't update this before Christmas...MERRY CHRISTMAS! ^_^

-Lots of love, Tay


	27. Chapter 27: Two Can Keep A Secret

Sorry for the late update...but hey, it's my first update of 2013! Yay.

Replies:

**CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva** - Ahaha aw I'm glad you like it! I love putting surprises in my stories ^_^ A lot of stories would do that, but I guess I like to be different.

**DorkyReader859** - Thank you! I love putting in drama, it's just so fun to write :)

**julie. ramirez2015** - I hope you like it! c:

**MudkipLover33** - Awww thanks! Here's the chapter!

**Fprmr1** - YES I DID OMFG I DIED SO MUCH. I've been a fan The Script since the beginning and ugh he is so beautiful in person... Oh my God I was literally right at the front as well so they'll probably put me on tv during the blind auditions xD Thanks! Nah it's not, like you said it's not real is it? Fun to write though.

**LittleWoman9497** - aw yay! ^_^ Love ya! Aw thanks a lot, it was sad for me to write too ;( Hope you like this chapter!

**Kaurz9802** - ASDFNMDOKWJSNJXUXHHDN I FREAKING LOVE YOU RIGHT NOW! YOU'RE SO SO SO SWEET (although this definitely isn't the best story on here, there are a lot of people better than me, hehe!) I LOVE YOU TOO ^_^ It's so amazing, liking Fairy Tail is like belonging to some secret club because you can't truly understand it unless you're watching it or reading the manga. I showed the anime to my eight year old brother and he absolutely adores Happy, it's so cute! Never mind explaining Dragon Slayers, I want to be one xD Yeah, I did that with May and Drew because I thought it would be really unrealistic if they just went into a perfect relationship straight after the whole thing with Brendan... The whole part with Amy was completely unplanned, but I couldn't have her die because Leaf has been through enough pain in this story, so I couldn't have her witnessing something like that XD There won't be too many more chapters for this now, I can't believe it.. :( Hehe, I've never ever finished a story as long as this one so it's going to be a pretty big accomplishment. WHY ARE YOU SO NICE STOP THAT ;'D I'm joking of course, your reviews and PMs make me smile even if I've had the worst of days. Omg I was in my IT class today and me and my friend were looking at the some of the Catching Fire stills on tumblr (she's doing The Hunger Games for her project, I'm basing mine on Ms Swift) and I was freaking out. I'm so excited! Love you lots my fave Hunger Games buddy, and I hope this chapter is okay :)

**EmeraldHeart12** - haha I know, right? It's so good!

**Gloss Gurl** - Yays! I don't know how it can it be pretty though, it's just words ^_^ Yep Amy's going to be fine, killing characters in stories makes me sad :( Thanks! I hope this one's okay-ish... c:

**eeveeluvr** - Yep definitely ;') That part was totally unexpected for me as well, I didn't know it going to happen until I started writing it xD Don't even get me started on my hatred for Slenderman, I could go on about it all day. My best friend told me to play it without even telling me what it was, so when he popped up I screamed -.- Contestshipping is too cute, like I can't help making Drew act all sweet and stuff xD Awwww that's so nice ^_^ Enjoy this chapter!

**LeafxGreenx3** - Aw, that's so nice! To be honest, I'm happy whenever I get a review, even if they've skipped to the end and reviewed to catch up so I DO FEEL SPECIAL, TRUST ME ;') There's no point in replying to every single one of your reviews because there are a lot of them (it will take me forever xD) so I'm just going to talk a bit c: I'm so mean to Leaf and Gary in this story, and I don't mean to be. I just like drama. It's fun^_^ omg, really? I got the idea of Emmy hating her name from a girl I know, we call her Emmy or Em but she doesn't allow us to call her Emily xD She's so strange. Jfc if Veronica was a real person then I would NOT want to be her right now. She is definitely hated ;') And then the Brendan part that I thought everyone was going to yell at me for (unexpectedness...yay) but it turned out that they liked it because Drew turned up at the end... Mary's Song always makes me think of Gary and Leaf, it's such a sweet song :) Okay so this reply is going on forever, I hope you like this chapter! c:

**SYKpop7** - Aw yaya! Well other stories tend to make those girls bitchy without ever letting the readers into their lives. I bought it was a little different c: D'awww, I'm glad you think so! Thank you so much honey, love ya ^_^

**you-are-reading-my-username** - oh my gosh really? Yay! I'm happy you love my story and I hope you like this chapter too!

**malory79080** - Aw thank you! Definite drama bomb, I just can't help myself ;') Exactly, no wedding ever goes by without a little drama happening, it's only natural. Enjoy the chapter!

**Star0890** - Thank you! ^_^ Hehe, there won't be as many May and Drew moments here as there were in previous chapters, but I hope it's still good :D Yay!

**SpecialxGirl** - Trust me, everybody hated her at first, including myself xD Aw don't feel bad, people always judge others without even knowing them, I know because I've done it. It's a part of being human I guess. Fair enough ;')

**pikachushinystar** - I wouldn't let her hit Leaf, how would she get back to the competition? xD I just like screwing with peoples heads I think xD

**LoveLoverGrl** - Haha, you know it!

**Apheleia** - To be honest, I hate the first ten chapters and I will go back to fix them pretty soon. (I tend to cringe while reading it) This is my first story though, so at the beginning I didn't even realise that some of the grammar and punctuation etc was bad. I was only thirteen then, I've had a lot of experience since the first chapter xD Yeah I found that out not too long ago but there's nothing I can do about that now, I'll just carry on like before. Thanks for the criticism for some of the other chapters, I'll go back and change the small typos and stuff later on ^_^ Ugh I have a major dislike for overly-cliche things in stories. I'm not going to make Brendan a nice guy (lols) because having him as a bad guy makes things more interesting.

**Pok3monTrain3erBlu3** - Yep, I do admit that it was a pretty low thing for Ursula to do, but it brought Ikari together I suppose ;') That's alright because swearing doesn't bother me at all, I do it all the time xD No, because of my timezone, I got that review at midday my time XD It's kind of ironic because of my timezone being the way it is, the majority of my reviewers review in the middle of the night so I read them all when I wake up, it's nice ^_^ I love Oldrival so much though.

**tedthelionhead** - Thanks for all those reviews, that's so nice of you ^_^ I'm just so happy that you love the story because I love writing it :D Enjoy this chapter.

**bluejay511** - Thanks a lot, heh then I guess your feeling was right! I've already decided on the song that I'm going to use and it's not a Taylor Swift song so don't worry about it xD I only use a song if it relates to the situation. Thanks for reading this, and I hope you like this chapter too!

**8melody23** - Thank you lovely! Yep yep, the next chapter is right here, enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong>: I don't own Pokemon but I do own my Pikachu slippers.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 27: Two Can Keep A Secret**

**...**

* * *

><p><em>"When people cheat in any arena, they diminish themselves-they threaten their own self-esteem and their relationships with others by undermining the trust they have in their ability to succeed and in their ability to be true." - Cheryl Hughes<em>

* * *

><p>"So...what are we going to do?"<p>

The girls all turned to face Dawn, who was curled up on the couch with a bowl of sugar-coated cereal. She was wearing one of Paul's t shirts which she'd stifled from his drawer before she left. It was like taking a small part of him with her.

It was the morning and the girls were sitting together in the front room, trying to think of song ideas.

Misty smiled. "I think we've all gone through enough sadness and pain throughout this journey, and I think we should just write a song that says: _We're Tiger Rose and we kick ass!_"

"That's a great idea Misty!" May praised her. "We should write a fun cute song that everyone's going to adore. Not about boy problems."

Everyone agreed to that. Leaving their boyfriends (bar May, who insisted that her and Drew weren't together) was difficult, so they wanted to lighten up the mood.

Leaf looked around at the others, and she instantly smiled. "Hey you guys...are we all wearing our boyfriends' t shirts?"

They looked down, and then looked at each other.

"Oh my God, we are!" Dawn laughed.

May folded her arms, rolling her eyes with a sigh. "Drew is _not_ my boyfriend."

"But you're wearing his shirt...that means that at some point of our week-long break, you were in his bedroom," Misty smirked suggestively.

May blushed scarlet. "It wasn't like that!"

"Oh yeah?" they laughed. Teasing May about Drew was slowly becoming their favourite pastime.

"I guess being friends with benefits is cool too, you know?" Dawn sniggered.

"We are not friends with benefits, ew!" May glared at her.

"I could totally see it," Leaf nodded at Dawn.

"You guys!" she whined.

"May, you need to get with Drew!" Misty gave her the scariest look. "You have to get over Brendan, he's history."

"Why are you all so interested in my love life?"

"BECAUSE IT'S NON-EXISTENT!"

She rolled her eyes again - her friends were far too meddling. May knew they only had her best interests at heart but still.

She remembered the night that Drew saved her last week. She'd asked him to stay with her while she slept and they couldn't have been much closer if they tried to be.

They spent the night together with their arms wrapped around each other and May felt safe.

_Sad, beautiful, tragic._

"May!"

She jolted right up, nearly falling backwards as Dawn clicked her fingers in her face.

"You were day-dreaming about him, weren't you!" Leaf giggled.

"No," May lied, standing up and heading into the hallway. "Now when you want to work on our song, make sure you let me know."

"We love you too!" they chortled together as the brunette shut the door behind her.

She headed up the stairs, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"May."

She stopped, her eyes glued to the floor. She'd been preparing herself for this moment all week, she had to get past this hurdle.

"What do you want, Brendan?"

She looked up and Brendan's lips curved into a smug smile, although there were still evident bruises on him, left by Drew. "Now what do I want? That's interesting because there are a lot of things that I want."

May spoke up. "If you try anything again I swear to God I'm calling the cops, I don't care who knows!"

Brendan didn't seemed fazed by her. "We can't do this in the hallway, care to come inside?" he opened the door to his room and May just stared at him.

"If you think I'm going in there alone with you then you've got another thing coming!"

Brendan tiredly rolled his eyes, before grabbing her waist and shoving her inside, locking the door.

"Hey!" May growled.

Brendan simply smirked, sitting down on his bed and offering her a seat.

She glared at him, "No."

He shrugged. "Whatever you prefer, beautiful."

"Don't call me that!" she snarled.

"Why, is that something Drew calls you? Getting a new boyfriend after so little time of breaking up with me...that's awfully slutty, Maybelle."

May sighed. "You know damn well why I broke up with you! You're nothing but a liar Brendan! You've made a mockery of this competition and when I found out your secret, you tried to keep me from telling anyone by attempting to rape me!"

"It worked though," he jeered, before standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders. "And that was just a taster. If you tell anyone who I really am, I swear to God I will make your life a misery. I'll come after you again, but this time...I will have you Maybelle."

He then grabbed a picture from the side and showed it to May.

She gasped - she'd forgotten about this. While she and Brendan were dating, he'd managed to charm her back into her Moulin Rouge costume.

"Give me that!" May snapped, trying to grab the picture. She hated the fact that Brendan had revealing pictures of her, it was creepy.

Brendan simply pushed her back. "You can have them all back, if..." he whispered the rest of his sentence into her ear.

She was shocked.

"Over my dead body," she muttered. "You can keep all the pictures you want but you will never have the real thing!"

"Hm, I was only wondering if you wanted those pictures back...but you clearly don't."

"Shut up. I just need to get something straight; I told the girls that we broke up because you cheated on me so if they mention it, don't be surprised," May edged back to the door and unlocked it, before walking out and slamming it in his face.

As May headed back to her room, she passed by two girls who she deemed to be harmless.

But they were entirely the opposite.

They waited for her to close her own door before beginning immediate whispers.

"So poor, innocent little May found out Brendan's secret already? Gosh, she's sharp."

"I just can't believe that he tried to do that to her, that's a shock. If only he was able to finish the job..."

One of the girls smirked at the other. "God, you're such a bitch."

She shrugged. "May deserved every second of what he intended to do to her. It just isn't fair that she and her group are the media darlings of this show! What about us?"

The blonde girl smirked. "If Brendan won't publish those pictures...or just, you know, rape her to death; then I guess we're going to have to resort to Plan B and sabotage Tiger Rose ourselves."

The other girl cackled. "I'd want nothing more."

They began to walk in the direction of the stairs.

"Oh, hi guys!"

They looked behind them to see Melody smiling at them.

Brianna and Veronica smiled back.

It was funny - they along with Ursula had their plan to eliminate Tiger Rose, yet Melody knew nothing about it. She was actually friends with them, Melody spent more time with those girls and Solidad than she did with her own group.

She knew nothing and they planned to keep it that way.

* * *

><p>May still felt slightly queasy as she left her room, her guard was up in case Brendan tried to talk to her.<p>

She just didn't know what to do. May knew that Brendan still wanted to get into her pants whether she liked it or not. However, he was being more careful about it, as opposed to the last time. He'd only do it if she told on him, that way he'd have nothing to lose.

Besides, trying it in an empty house is one thing, but would Brendan really try to hurt her in a house full of people? He wouldn't do it.

Her head was hurting from so much speculation. She picked up her phone and saw a text from Drew.

**Have you spoken to him yet? x**

May smiled, he really did care about her. He was worried. She thought she may as well call him, but she couldn't do it in front of anyone else.

She travelled up the stairs once more, and lifted up the hatch to the roof. Stair ladders dropped down, and she made her way up.

The view was breathtakingly beautiful; Melody had shown her and Misty this secluded spot a while ago and she couldn't think of a better place to talk to Drew than here.

It was around two in the afternoon and the sun was shining brightly in the sky as May looked on with a smile. She picked up her phone and called him.

"Hey there."

May liked hearing his voice, it was sultry and oh-so attractive...

"Hi Drew!" she smiled enthusiastically.

"You seem upbeat, so I guess that's good, right?"

May was hesitant for a moment as she wanted to deal with Brendan alone. She just didn't like having herself exposed as weak and fragile, having Drew see her like that last week was far too difficult to bear.

"I'm fine," she laughed. "I told you, Brendan isn't going to do anything. He values his job."

"Why don't you just tell someone about his true identity?" Drew asked.

"Because I can't," May sighed. "Even if I got rid of all the pictures from his room and told on him, he'd still find another way to...pay me back for it."

Drew sighed - that meant that Brendan was still after her. "Just be honest with the girls. Of course, it'll hurt your pride but you can't hide this from them forever. What if Brendan goes and tells them?"

"He won't! Like I said, he values his job, he won't touch me unless I tell!" May quickly argued back.

"I'm just...really worried about you," he admitted.

"Don't be," she smiled. "I'll be completely fine."

Drew sighed, "I wish I could do more than just talk to you right now."

"Like what?" she asked meekly.

"Well...I'd probably kick his stupid ass again for using you like that, and then I'd just give you a hug and tell you everything is going to be alright. I sound like a fucking girl don't I?"

"No, it's cute! I don't know what I'd do without you," May giggled, a slight blush forming on her face.

"Heh, I wonder," he laughed.

They carried on talking as time quickly passed them by but as they finally said goodbye and hung up, May just wanted to call him again.

But she couldn't. After all, this song wasn't going to write itself.

* * *

><p>"<em>Go Misty!<em>"

"_You own that dancefloor!_"

Stunned, May hung outside of the door for a moment as she could hear music and talking from inside the front room.

The time on her phone read 16:36.

Shit, she'd been talking to Drew for more than two hours? How was that even possible?

May just smiled, before opening the door and seeing her friends.

"Hey, there you are!" Dawn giggled.

She looked around the room to see Misty stonefaced and dancing to Call Me Maybe, the screen showed that they were playing Just Dance 4.

It wasn't just her group members there either, Melody and Solidad had joined them.

"Where did you go?" Leaf asked. "We tried looking for you earlier but we couldn't find you, so we gave up and stared playing this."

May laughed, Misty was getting so into this, the look of concentration on her face was priceless. "I was uh...busy..."

"May, you are the worst liar ever."

She glared at Dawn. "I am not! Why haven't any of you started on the song yet?"

Leaf sweatdropped. "Well...uh...you see..."

"You're better at writing songs than we are!" Dawn finished off.

May found herself giggling, "You guys! Let's do the song later - I have a few ideas for it. Besides, I couldn't possibly tear Misty away from the game now."

"Yeah, she's definitely enjoying herself."

The three of them went to join Melody and Solidad on the sofa, but May's heart just wasn't in it.

What was Brendan planning to do, and why was she so scared to tell anyone about it..?

* * *

><p><strong>Friday<strong>

"I'm so nervous for tomorrow!" Dawn squeaked as May put her arm around her.

The girls were exhausted from rehearsals at the arena earlier, and as a result, they'd crashed out in their room with pizza slices swiped from downstairs, courtesy of Leaf.

"Don't be, Dawn. We've done this so many times before now, everything will be fine," Misty smiled reassuringly.

"Yeah," Dawn murmured, picking at the hem of the oversized shirt she was wearing. "But the competition only has a couple of weeks before the final. I won't be able to bear it if we go home now..."

Leaf grinned. "As long as we're positive about this, we'll be fine."

"Besides..." May continued on, "We're doing it for the boys as well as ourselves, we've all seen how proud they are of us."

Dawn smirked. "We all know that Drew is pretty proud of his Maybelle!"

"Guys!" May whined as they sniggered. "I'm not going into a relationship with Drew simply because you're telling me to!"

"Relax May, we're kidding," Leaf giggled, whispering something into Misty's ear.

May rolled her eyes and stuffed another pizza slice into her mouth. It was so good.

Dawn stood up and headed over to her bed. The others could see that she was smiling but her heart just wasn't there.

"You're missing him, aren't you?"

The blunette set her wandering gaze upon Misty who shrugged nonchalantly.

She was right. After all, they all knew that Dawn was missing Paul the most. "Yeah I am. I don't want to seem like a clingy girlfriend because I'm not...I just really miss him right now."

"You'll be fine," May stood up and hugged her.

Dawn was so grateful to have friends like May, Leaf and Misty. She didn't know what she would do without them.

"I love you guys," Dawn giggled. She then stood up and headed for the door. "Be right back, I need to go and get a drink from downstairs."

"Okay," Leaf said.

She closed the door and headed down the stairs.

However, upon heading into the kitchen, Dawn found herself face-to-face with somebody that she really didn't want to see right now.

"Hello Dawn. Long time no see," she smiled fakely, twirling a lock of petal pink hair around her finger.

Dawn cast her gaze to the floor, she'd hardly spoken to Ursula since the blackmail incident. It didn't happen too long ago but it seemed like so much time had passed since then. She felt as if she had grown as a person.

She continued on. "How are you and Paul going?" she asked, her tone innocent. "I can't believe you actually ended up with him. I should play Cupid more often."

"I still can't believe you did that to me," Dawn folded her arms and glared at her.

"I didn't do anything, I just wanted the satisfaction of seeing you cheat on Lucas. I never told you to carry on with it."

"Shut up," Dawn spat. "You don't understand anything!"

"Oh I understand perfectly," she simpered. "You're a pathetic little whore. You never deserved Lucas! He was mine and you took him from me."

Ursula glared at her, continuing on. "You and your little friends may pout, kiss and strip your way through this competition but I'm here for the music. I'm going to win Dawn, you can't stop me."

Dawn growled, everybody always made references to their Moulin Rouge song. Always. "That's exactly why I'm here! I'm here for the same reason as you."

The pink haired girl raised an eyebrow. "I don't think so sweetie," she smiled, before walking out of the room and leaving Dawn alone.

Ursula was already plotting ideas in her mind - she had to get rid of these girls.

She hated to say it, but Tiger Rose were insanely popular. A threat. Ursula had to win this competition no matter what happened.

She refused to let a bunch of stupid girls get in her way.

* * *

><p><strong>Saturday<strong>

The girls of Tiger Rose were getting ready to go on stage. As Misty came back from getting her hair done, she noticed Dawn and Leaf glaring at the TV on the wall while May just seemed to look down.

"He's so pathetic! How can he live with himself knowing that he cheated on May?!" Leaf raged as Brendan looked at the camera with a gorgeous grin while he sung.

So _fake_.

"He's disgusting," Dawn rolled her eyes.

"May..." Misty asked, her jaw slightly open.

"What's up?" The brunette turned around and flashed her a smile.

"You don't have to watch that, you know," the redhead muttered.

"I'm fine, I promise..." May kept her slightly-forced smile upon her face as Brendan was getting his comments from Keria, Jordan and Dexter.

"Alright," Misty replied. "Anyway, we have to get ready to go on now."

"How long till we go on?" Leaf asked.

"Fifteen minutes," Misty replied back.

"I'll be right back, I need a moment," May spoke, before heading out of the room to clear her mind.

Fifteen minutes was more than enough time to get her head together.

May quickly headed to one of the empty rooms containing all the musical equipment; she'd left her guitar in there as she wasn't taking it on stage with her.

As her hand grasped the handle, she soon realised that the room wasn't empty.

She could hear the gentle sound of piano playing. It was soothing to her.

May quickly opened the door to see Brianna. Her eyes were down as she concentrated on playing, although May wondered why she was still here - Electric Heart had the first performance.

"You're really good," the brunette spoke quietly.

Brianna looked up, slightly startled. "Oh, hi! Thanks...playing piano is something I love to do."

May closed the door behind her and walked towards the burgundy haired girl. "Heh, I guess I can relate. My guitar means the world to me."

"Besides the one for tonight, have you written any new songs lately?" Brianna asked sweetly.

May was a little surprised at the sudden change of subject but she shrugged none-the-less.

"I've started a few, I guess. inspiration strikes at the strangest of times," she answered.

Brianna let out a tiny snigger. "Is that so? Have you written anything about Brendan?"

May froze on the spot. "No...it's over between us."

"What happened?" she asked, standing up from the piano.

May found herself getting a little uncomfortable. "Uh...I caught him cheating on me with another girl last week, so I broke up with him. I don't really want to talk about it..." she turned and headed for the door, but Brianna grabbed her arm.

"That's so awful..." she sympathised. "Was he sleeping with her?"

May gasped at her bluntness, not knowing what to say. "Huh? I...uh..."

"You can't answer that, can you May?"

The brunette looked up to see a dirty smirk on Brianna's face.

"What are you talking about?!" May snapped.

"Oh May; you're as sweet as ever. I know that the only girl Brendan intended to sleep with that day was _you_."

The room fell eerily silent as May struggled to find her words. "H...how did you..?"

"It's a secret," she mocked her.

"Brianna!" May snarled. "What do you know?!"

"I know that Brendan's a reporter," she replied, "And I know that you're a stuffy bitch. Men have very simple minds Maybelle. They only want you for one thing, what did you expect?"

The brunette was shocked as she clenched her fists. She knew about Brendan's plots but she had no idea that Brianna was involved with him.

"Don't put the blame on me, he was leading me on and using me for headlines! He didn't love me!"

Brianna laughed, walking towards May as she backed away. "You're so innocent."

"What do you want from me?!" May glared as she backed her against the wall.

But as May was about to find out, it wasn't the wall.

"I want you and your slutty friends out of this competition. Bye May, nice knowing you!" Brianna cackled as she pushed open the door and the brunette fell back, thanks to her red heels.

"_Ah!_" she shrieked as she bashed her head against the floor.

But as she lifted up her head, the door slammed shut, leaving May in darkness.

She took off her shoes and got to her feet immediately, pounding on the door with desperation.

Brianna had locked it from the outside.

"HEY! BRIANNA!" she screamed. "LET ME OUT OF HERE!"

Brianna could hear her cries as she closed the door of the music room.

It made her smile. Tiger Rose were due to go on stage in a matter of ten minutes and May was stuck in a closet.

"_Did you do it?_"

Brianna turned around to see Ursula smirking up at her.

"Of course I did," the burgundy haired girl giggled. "She's so gullible, it's hilarious!"

Ursula grinned. Without May; the others couldn't perform.

She could almost _smell_ the elimination.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> I feel like I haven't updated in years or something. Heh...I guess I've been so busy working on my other story Codename Kitty (Go check it out, the later chapters are inspired the anime Fairy Tail), that I just haven't had time for this. Sorry... ^_^

I hope the chapter was okay, I wasn't sure about it. I just wanted to get this posted.

I can't believe I hit 500 already... I was totally not expecting like 50 reviews either! You guys are the best.

Also: There's an authoress on here who is the reason why I actually got down to writing and posting this chapter (That is what you call major motivation ;') ) so I want to thank her. She's the best person ever and so so so supportive and fabulous, that I couldn't help but give her a little mention (and I don't normally do this, so she's definitely pretty special) So please go check out **Kaurz9802** and her extremely awesome and non-cliche stories **Just a Word** and **Cyber Cinderella**! I'll love you 5ever (more than forever) because she deserves reviews more than I do. She's so lovely.

So...um...review / favourite / follow / check out my other stories / jam to T Swizzle with me!

-Love Tay


	28. Chapter 28: Finding Lost Words

I'm sorry for such a long wait but here's the next chapter of It Had to Be You! Thanks for all your lovely reviews too :) I thought I'd skip the replies this time round because I really wanted to update and I haven't been on here at all lately...I blame tumblr for everything.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 28: Finding Lost Words**

**...**

* * *

><p>The time on the clock read 19:56 as Brendan made his way down the hallway. He'd already done his performance and he was ready to go back to the house.<p>

He smiled to himself as he thought about the crowd - they were basically putty in his hands.

He was in control of this. Despite a few major slip-ups, nothing had changed in his mind.

Although May knew the truth and that was something that was never supposed to happen. She should never have found out.

He silently cursed that night again. Not only did May get out of this unscathed, but Drew managed to pack a hefty punch. Brendan moved his jaw gingerly - that was not getting better anytime soon.

Green haired bastard. Hayden was head over heels for that ditzy girl and Brendan wasn't happy about it.

He hated it. She was the beautiful princess and he was her knight in shining armour. That was how the public saw those two together; Brendan's bosses wanted their relationship to be portrayed like a fairytale, even though they weren't officially dating. All sweet and innocent.

But as far as _he_ was concerned, the ending to this story was going to be anything but that.

If Brendan couldn't have May, then nobody could.

He suddenly felt himself stop. Turning around, he listened carefully to a sound coming from an adjacent door.

_"Somebody, please! Let me out of here!"_

His ears picked up the voice straight away. It was the brunette beauty herself.

This instantly struck him as odd. Did she lock herself in the cupboard by accident?

Tiger Rose we're due on in a matter of minutes... and Brendan needed them to stay.

He quickly ran to the door and threw it open. Brendan cast his eyes around, this was the room where they stored the musical equipment for use on stage.

May was locked in one of the store cupboards, hammering the door with her fists.

He found himself staring at the door.

_"HELLO? IS ANYBODY THERE? I CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE!"_ she screeched.

Brendan simply smirked, before throwing open the door.

May hurtled forwards, her bodily weight crashing into something else instead of the door. Brendan.

Her eyes widened to the size of plates, before she recoiled back. Brendan slyly grabbed her wrists before she could get away.

"W...what are you doing here..?" she whispered, her body beginning to shake. Memories of Brendan trying to force himself on her reawakened in her mind. She clamped her mouth shut.

"Haven't you got a show to get to?" he asked casually.

"Brianna locked me in here...but why would you save me? That makes no sense!"

Brendan muttered the word 'shit' under his breath. This was Brianna's fault? That bitch promised him that she wasn't going to hinder his plans...

May shivered, "P...please let me go..."

He slowly released her from his grip. There was no way he could let Brianna get her way. "Go find your friends and get on stage."

She froze. "You...you're letting me go?"

He said nothing, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he walked away. May was shocked but she quickly walked out of the music room after him.

She checked her phone. One minute.

_Shit._

May darted for the stage to find Misty standing against the wall worriedly, her eyes glued to her phone. "Mist!"

The redhead shot up off the wall. "May!" she yelled. "Where were you?!"

"Can we talk about it later with the others?" the brunette spoke quickly. "Tell Leaf and Dawn to get down here!"

"Sure," Misty nodded, texting both of them as quickly as she could.

"May! Oh my God!"

Dawn's high pitched scream caused Misty to stop mid-type.

As the blunette ran over with Leaf, a few of the producers began to usher the four of them to the stage.

Leaf was dying to ask May where she went, but she knew she had to put their performance first.

May was in deep thought as they made their way to the stage.

Why had Brendan saved her..?

"Are you ready for this?" Misty whispered into May's ear.

"I'm fine," she forced a smile. She wasn't fine at all, she was freaked out and confused.

Brianna wanted them out, but Brendan wanted them in? This was a recipe for disaster.

The doors opened and the lights flashed as the music began to play.

May gripped her microphone tight.

(Runaway - Avril Lavigne)

May: Got up on the wrong side of life today, yeah  
>Crash the car and I'm gonna be really late<br>My phone doesn't work 'cause it's out of range  
>Looks like it's just one of those kind of days<p>

Dawn: You can't kick me down I'm already on the ground  
>No you can't, but you couldn't catch me anyhow<br>Blue skies, but the sun isn't coming out, no  
>Today is like I'm under a heavy cloud<p>

Misty and Leaf: And I feel so alive  
>I can't help myself<br>Don't you realise?

All: I just wanna scream and lose control  
>Throw my hands up and let it go<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

Leaf: I just wanna fall and lose myself  
>Laughing so hard it hurts like hell<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

Misty: So-so's how I'm doing, if you're wondering  
>I'm in a fight with the world but I'm winning<br>Stay there, come closer it's at your own risk  
>Yeah you know how it is life can be a bitch<p>

May and Dawn: And I feel so alive  
>I can't help myself<br>Don't you realise

All: I just wanna scream and lose control  
>Throw my hands up and let it go<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

May: I just wanna fall and lose myself  
>Laughing so hard it hurts like hell<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

Dawn: Run away, run away (Oh, oh)

Misty: Run away, run away (Oh, oh)

May: Run away, run away (Oh, oh)

All: (Run away, run run away)

Leaf: Run away, run away (Oh, oh)

All: (Run away, run run away!)

All: I just wanna scream and lose control  
>Throw my hands up and let it go<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

Misty: I just wanna fall and lose myself  
>Laughing so hard it hurts like hell<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

All: I just wanna scream and lose control  
>Throw my hands up and let it go<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah

Dawn: I just wanna fall and lose myself  
>Laughing so hard it hurts like hell<br>Forget about everything and run away, yeah!

The music slowed as a huge roar of applause nearly deafened the girls on stage. They stood in a line with huge grins on their faces as the claps and cheers slowly began to fade.

"That was amazing as usual girls!" Keira trilled, a radiant smile on her lips. "Each and every week you come out here and sing your hearts out for us and even though you're in Dexter's group, I couldn't be more proud!"

Jordan spoke up, a slight smile at his lips. "It was cute and girly, typical of you girls. Pretty upbeat. I liked it."

The crowd applauded for the second time - Jordan rarely gave praise without criticism at all.

Dexter nodded like a proud father. "I'm honoured to have you girls in our competition. Seven weeks ago you were strangers, but we put you into a group because I knew you had more to give as musicians. You proved your place tonight and I couldn't be more proud! I hope the people at home can pick up the phone and vote for you to stay in, because you deserve it. Well done girls."

The four of them were grinning from ear to ear, still relieved that they were able to make it to the stage on time.

If May had been even a minute later, things would have turned sour.

"Give it up for Tiger Rose! And don't forget to add 05 to the end of the number to keep the girls in this competition!" the presenter smiled. The theme music for the show blared as the four of them left the stage, smiling cutely to the cameras as they did.

* * *

><p>"That was still so amazing, I'm still so buzzed over this!" Dawn giggled, the girl couldn't keep still.<p>

Dawn, May and Misty were sitting together in downstairs, having already raided the kitchen fridge. There was no point in getting ready to go to sleep, Dawn was far too hyper for that and Leaf was in the shower.

"I can't believe Jordan gave us no criticism at all, are we really that good?" May asked.

Misty grinned. "I'm guessing so. I still can't believe there's only five of us left. And after tomorrow they'll only be four."

Misty was right. This competition was coming to a close end, the semi finals were next week. So was her sisters performance on the show, ugh.

This whole journey had been a roller coaster ride for May. She'd been through so much and met so many new people - her life had changed forever.

She often wondered what life was going to be like after she came out of the show, but she forced herself not to think about it.

She'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

* * *

><p>Leaf sighed with content as the steaming hot water poured down her body from the shower head. Her hair was up in a messy bun as she decided to leave it till tomorrow to wash. It was too late now.<p>

She couldn't stop thinking about that performance. Every time she stepped up on that stage with her friends, she never felt happier.

She soared above everyone, exceeding everybody's expectations of a typical seventeen year old girl hailing from a tiny town in Kanto.

Leaf Green was supposed to be a nobody. People from Pallet Town never amounted to anything in the real world yet she, Gary and Ash changed all that.

She bit her lip as she thought about the events of these past few weeks. Where she realised that her love for her best friend went beyond what it should have. She matured enough to realise this, to know her feelings and to take his into consideration too.

She smiled to herself, a warm glow inside as she thought about him. His cute smile, warm hands and addictive scent.

Leaf wanted nothing more than to be back in Gary's arms right now.

She remembered dancing with him at Daisy's wedding, their bodies pressed close together as they moved to the song that Leaf declared her favourite as a child.

Then May and the others came in. Gary had secretly arranged it behind her back but that didn't matter.

May had written a beautiful song for her. She didn't have to do it, yet she did. She even roped Gary into helping her out with the minor details that made the piece so personal.

Leaf then thought about Amy and her kissing Gary. The brunette had never genuinely felt so sorry for a person, the poor girl had had such a tough life but at least the hospital was putting her on the right track again.

She was going to be alright.

Then Leaf thought about something else that occurred last Saturday, exactly this time last week.

* * *

><p><em>Flashback<em>

**Saturday.**

"I still feel awful for what happened earlier..." Leaf buried her head in her hands as she sat on Gary's bed. They'd just arrived back from the hospital and all was quiet.

"Maybe I could have done something to stop her from getting into that car...or perhaps I shouldn't have stormed off like a stupid kid."

Gary closed the door behind him. "Leaf, what's done is done. You could have done nothing more; this was the wake up call that she needed, one that maybe we all needed."

The brunette nodded, tears pouring down her cheeks as Gary sat down next to her. Deep inside, she was convinced that this entire thing was partly her fault.

"Hey, don't cry..." he murmured into her ear, wiping her tears away. He softly grabbed her hands and squeezed them.

"You're right. I still feel so awful though," Leaf whispered.

"I do as well. I did things that most likely killed her inside and I didn't even fucking realise it," he growled.

"Like what?" Leaf asked quietly.

Gary was silent for a moment or two. The house was all quiet, Professor Oak was sleeping a few doors down from here and his parents were still out at Leaf's house.

"Did...Paul, Ash and Drew ever send letters to the girls?" he asked.

Leaf blinked, she wasn't expecting that at all. "Yes...just after you guys left, right?"

Leaf recalled her friends receiving these letters a couple of days after the guys left the competition.

The time when Gary and Leaf weren't even speaking to each other. Because of this, she was the only one who didn't get a letter written for her. Or so she thought.

"I...I actually wrote one for you," he murmured. "But you never received it, did you?"

She shook her head slowly.

Gary...he wrote her a letter?

"Why didn't I get it?" she asked softly. "Did you keep it for yourself?"

"No," he spoke. "I asked Amy if she would take it to the letter box for me," he hung his head, "But I'm guessing she never did."

"Hey, you weren't to know," she spoke softly, moving from her place on the bed to sit on his lap. He pulled her even closer and put his arms around her as she straddled his hips.

"I was so fucking stupid!" he lashed out at himself. "I hurt her so many times and I didn't even know!"

Leaf loosened her grip to see a tormented and guilt-ridden boy sitting in front of her with tears in his eyes.

Despite what he said earlier, he was still convinced that all this was his fault.

Leaf stopped his heartbreaking babble with a kiss. She couldn't allow him to carry on blaming himself for this, he wasn't the one to blame.

Neither was she, and deep down she knew it.

Gary closed his eyes and kissed her back, cupping her cheeks in his hands and pulling her close.

This was the most heartfelt kiss they had ever shared.

Eventually, they broke apart and Gary stared at every aspect of the girl's face. Her brunette locks brushed way past her shoulders and down her back, while her eyes shined with adoration for him.

She was so beautiful.

"So..." she giggled slightly as he lowered his head to kiss her neck. "What did you write on this letter for me?"

He lifted up his head and smiled sadly. "I remember it completely," he murmured. Gary had a photographic memory like his grandfather so she wasn't surprised he remembered.

"It hurt me a lot to say it, this was during the time where we weren't talking to each other. I read it so many times..."

"I still want to know what you said," she whispered.

He looked her directly in the eye and began to speak. She didn't dare blink, she couldn't afford to miss this.

"Leaf. I don't even know why I'm writing this because I already told you everything I needed to say to you. You're probably sick of me right now, I wouldn't blame you if you were. This is making us both miserable, and I hate it. I'd sacrifice anything for things to go back to how they used to be. When we were the best of friends and nothing was awkward between us. Before I got any feelings for you. It's obvious you aren't ready for love, even though you'd never admit it. You have the mental age of a ten year old but hey, that's one of the many things I like about you. That particular list goes on and on. I honestly thought you were the one for me. It had to be you. I'll be okay, but I want you to know one thing and one thing only. Thank you for letting me into your life. I'm grateful for every moment we shared, every laugh we had, even the kiss for crying out loud. You, Ginger, December and Princess are gonna win SingOff for me, you hear? Go and fulfil your dream, being in the limelight always was your destiny. While you're off being famous, I guess I'll just stay here. I never could leave this little town. Leaf Green, I'm sorry I couldn't change your mind. Maybe someday you'll find a guy who can... Gary."

Leaf had tears pouring down her cheeks at this point. He never took his eyes off her and she knew that - at the time - he meant every word. Her heart was thumping in her chest and her vision was blurry.

"_It had to be you..._" she quoted from his letter. "What an interesting choice of words."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"You make it sound like you're stuck with me," she smiled through her tears.

"I am. I swear to God I'll stick with you until the day I die," he spoke solemnly.

"You _were_ the one to change my mind..." she whispered.

"Probably my biggest accomplishment yet," he grinned.

"Your ego still hasn't deflated. Pity," she smirked.

"But you love me for it," he muttered.

"I do," she wiped her eyes, before guiding Gary's hands to the buttons of the short sleeved shirt she was wearing for bed.

"Take it off," she whispered, her cheeks turning red.

"_L...Leaf!_ You don't have to...we don't have to-"

"I want to," she put a finger to his lips. "Sh. You'll wake Professor Oak."

He bit his lip, a tiny smile forming on his lips. "If this is what you want, then sure thing. I love you Leafy."

He pressed his lips to hers and laid her down.

The rest was history.

* * *

><p>The brunette stepped out of the shower, blushing wildly.<p>

That night was so bittersweet as they both knew Leaf had to leave for Hoenn the next day.

She wanted to see him so badly but they were both stuck in different regions. They had different lives right now. Leaf was living the life of a starlet on the show while Gary was sent back to his old life in Pallet Town.

Leaf sighed. She wanted nothing more than to be back in his arms right now but _that_ wasn't going to happen for a while.

She tied a towel around her, before stepping out into the hallway. She'd left her clothes in her room by mistake, but nobody was here so it didn't exactly matter.

As she clasped the handle of the door, Leaf froze. She could hear voices from another room.

_Brendan's room._

She found herself staring at the door, something was compelling her to move forward.

The door itself was slightly ajar as she peered through. She could see in but as long as she stayed quiet and still, they couldn't see her.

Brendan was talking to someone.

Brianna.

What was she doing in there?

Leaf couldn't afford to make any sudden movements.

"What do you want?!" Brianna asked. "We shouldn't be talking right now, what if someone overhears us?"

Leaf tensed up, not even daring to breathe.

Brendan shrugged. "I already checked, nobody's up here. They're all either downstairs or at the arena."

"Why go to so much trouble?" Brianna asked. "I want to go back downstairs!"

Leaf's eyes widened as he shoved Brianna against the wall. "Listen here you little skank. If you mess with my plans again, you'll regret it."

"I did nothing!" she jeered. "I thought we were on the same side!"

Brendan shook his head. "So did I. You're the one locking May in the closet and trying to ruin my plans!"

Leaf blinked. Brianna locked May in a closet..? So_ that's_ what happened...

"Maybe I don't want to breathe the same air as those sluts anymore!" Brianna spat. "It's not all about you, Brendan!"

"You know nothing," he rolled his eyes. "Either listen to me or stay out of my way."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily," she cupped his face in her hands, bringing him closer to her. "You know you want to."

He smirked, lowering his hands. "You're unbelievable, you know that?"

"Well I've got nothing better to do," she shrugged, guiding her own hands to the buttons of his shirt as he kissed her lips.

Leaf turned away from the door, almost gagging as she did so.

But somebody was standing right there, with tears in her eyes as she glared at the door.

"Veronica?" Leaf whispered, not knowing what to make of the situation.

The bleach blonde girl clenched her fists, not even noticing Leaf's presence.

Leaf could hear noises from the room and cringed, slowly closing the door.

"What's wrong?" she muttered.

Instead of answering the question, she ran off down the hall and into her room, leaving Leaf confused as hell.

What was she hiding..?

* * *

><p>Authors Note: I'm sorry for leaving it there, and the fact that it was so short... this was my fourth attempt at this chapter because it wouldn't go right at all.<p>

I've just come back from my trip to New York and it was so amazing! America is so much better than Britain ugh, I want to go back. I still have post gig depression from seeing my favourite band live two weeks ago..and I've done none of my homework. I really am a lost cause.

ANYWAY, how was it? I'm hoping this chapter was alright because it was a pain to write

Please leave a review, I found out the other day that this story is 7th on the most reviewed Contestshipping stories list! And it's not even finished yet! ^_^ I love you all.

Oh and by the way, if you've read my one-shot **Get the Girl**, then please read the sequel **Best Intentions** if you haven't already! It's very contestshippy...

Reviews mean serious motivation for me, so please tell me if you liked it or not! I'll love you forever.

QUESTION: Why was Veronica so upset? Cookies if you get it.

Bye!


	29. Chapter 29: Set to Change

Hello my fellow otaku's! This is Chapter 29 of my story (duh..) and I hope you like it.

Cookies to the reviewers who got my question right from the last chapter! You're awesome.

Replies! Lol I did these in school so I'm sorry if they're kind of rushed xD

**Cathrinejennings2015** - Enjoy the chapter! :)

**XWhiteChanX** - Thanks! Ahaha Brendan saved May because he didn't want her group to leave the competition yet. He has his reasons xD I just like throwing in all these mad plot twists, it's entertaining! Maybe you're right, maybe you're wrong. Hehe. Hope you like this chapter!

**CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva** - I totally agree, although I kind of needed a filler chapter to prepare for...something I have planned for the near future xD That's understandable, don't worry about it! I'll never write an actual lemon in any of my stories but you can just skip past the parts you don't want to read I guess. You were VERY NEARLY right in your guess and that's all I'm saying ;)

**Master of Pokemon** - ahahaa oh my god XD You can rant as much as you want, trust me it's so much fun to read. Hmmmmmmm maybe she is...you'll just have to find out in the chapter!

**szdczsrf** - Thanks for giving up on me ;) I'm only kidding, I'm just glad you're reading it again! Awww you think so? Yay! ^_^

**8melody23** - Hey, maybe she does, maybe she doesn't ;) I guess you'll just have to read on to find out:D

**bluejay511** - Haha that's an interesting theory. I can't quite work out Brendan myself, and that really is saying something XD Hmmm perhaps so! Thanks a lot!

**LuvAllPokemon** - IT'S OKAAAAAAAY DONT WORRY ABOUT IT. I'm always too lazy to review fics and reply to PMs so in a way I'm worse than you are xD At least you have a reason. Hmmmm high school in America is different from high school the UK isn't it...I always wondered what an actual American high school is like ^^' Our way of doing it is awful, we have sixteen year olds (((me))) in the same building as eleven year olds and it makes me want to cry. Wow, thousands? I can't even make it through the day without checking my email for fanfiction updates XD OH LORD I ACTUALLY INSPIRED SOMEONE? You're very welcome! Everything is gr8. Lol who doesn't have Fairy Tail addiction, it's such a good anime/manga!

**leafeonchick03** - Maybe so...

**Eeveexme** - that's a good theory! Whether it's the one I used however...you'll have to wait and see ^-^

**Cloud Reflection** - Haha really? That's a pretty good guess I have to say. Aww thanks! LOL I know, I am too xD Say whaaaa? Ask anyone who lives here, it's a shithole xD It rains like 24/7, nobody understands our humour (lol) and I don't understand the hype around the accents either XD Haha

**SpecialxGirl** - Psh the shippy moments are coming! Patience xD It's just kind of hard to put them in right now because of the distance between the girls and the guys but I'll make it happen :3

**Pok3monTrain3erBlu3** - Kyaaa! That's so sweet, thank you :3 You were almost kinda sorta right in your answer, well done xD

**eeveeluvr** - Ahaha fair enough xD Maybe, just keep on reading to see if you were right!

**Star0890** - Thank you c: More May and Drew moments are coming, I'll make sure of it!

**malory79080** - okay you can have your pretend cookies xD Avril is amazing isn't she? Sk8er Boi was my favourite song when I was like 7/8, awww :3 Trust me, even I can't figure out Brendan and I'm the one writing the story! XD

**LoveLoverGrl** - Ahaha :3

**ReaderOfStories15** -Awww! I know, there isn't a lot of fluff in this chapter but it's coming! I promise, and I'll try to get them all in as well. Yeaaaaah I get where you were coming from it your answer and it's kind of partly true... You'll see what I mean xD

**pikachushinystar** - Hope you enjoy the chapter, and you can see if your guess was right too...a lot of you were kinda close I guess.

**Flinx-ikariluv10** - Believe it not you're an amazing guesser ;')

**Kaurz9802** - AHHH IM SO SORRY FOR NOT REPLYING TO YOUR PM AGAIN! I'VE BEEN SO BUSY (((PERSONAL LIFE BLEH))) BUT I'LL FIND TIME I PROMISE. Hehehe I knew you'd appreciate it, it was sweet to write I suppose xD Kyaaaa I didn't mean to murder you with my chapter! Sorry ;) No, you are so much more amazing! You're the best, like seriously! Hahaha you'll soon find out about the Veronica thing and I promise you it is anything but cliche xD OMG HAVE YOU HEARD VOL 4 OF THE FAIRY TAIL SOUNDTRACK YET? IT IS ABSOLUTE HEAVEN, THE SONGS ARE FROM THE TENROU AND GRAND MAGIC GAMES ARCS AND IT'S SO PERFECT! Love ya, my Hunger Games and Fairy Tail buddy!

**LunarEclipse22428** - awww really? ^_^ This has just made my day and I'm not even kidding, thank you so much! Hopefully the rest of the story will be just as good because I don't want to disappoint anyone c:

**pokemonpuppy23** - omg that was hilarious xD It's funny you asked actually because everything is explained in this chapter involving Electric Heart, so hopefully this clears some stuff up? Yaya

**cutiepiepo2** - awwww! That is like the sweetest thing ever, thank you so much! ^-^ Pffft I'm an awesome unicorn? You, my friend, are a much more awesome unicorn than I am. Awww I won't xD I just do this for fun (even though my exams are coming up soon...) Aaaaanyway thank you lovely! Enjoy the chapter:)

**DorkyReader859** - Ahahaha! I just adore plot twists and cliffhangers, it keeps everyone on their toes xD Ugh Tumblr is my life, it's way too addicting XD

**Guest** - ahaha oh my god xD Thanks for all the reviews anonymous person!

**Ashfur54** - I'd Lie! :3

**Lily-chan** - Kyaaaa yay! That is so sweet, thank you! Ah Fairy Tail. My favourite thing in the world, ahaha! ^_^

**maddy** - Thank you sweetie! :3

**Bloody Black Cat Sama** - Thanks! No I'm not German XD I'm British but I am learning ((failing)) German at school. Ugh.

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own Pokemon and I also don't own Natsu Dragneel...sad Lucy is sad.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 29: Set to Change**

**...**

* * *

><p>"H...huh?" Leaf gasped.<p>

Veronica had just burst into tears on seeing Brendan and Brianna together, running to her room and slamming the door behind her.

Where did she come from? And more importantly, why did she react in that way?

Of course it wasn't exactly something that you'd want to witness.

Although it should have been more shocking to Leaf, on discovering that Brianna had locked May inside that music room earlier.

It was then that the brunette realised. Brianna had been lying and faking a friendly persona around them.

Were Veronica and Melody the same? Were they just pretending..?

Leaf sighed - she and the girls were right back to square one. The brunette sighed anxiously, worrying about what she should do now.

If Veronica really had backstabbed them, then now would be a good time to talk to her.

Leaf looked over her shoulder. Nobody else was here, they were all either out or downstairs.

Not making a sound, she crept towards Electric Heart's room. Leaf pushed open the door to see Veronica in a crumpled heap on the floor, crying her eyes out.

_"Veronica..."_

The blonde girl angrily looked up, looking at Leaf in shock. "What are you doing here?!" she snapped. "Have you come to laugh at me or something?!"

"No," Leaf muttered. "I just wanted to know why you were upset..."

"As if _you _of all people care about me," Veronica snorted, wiping her eyes furiously. "What were you even doing there in the first place?!"

"I could ask you the same thing!" Leaf near screamed back.

If there was one thing that hadn't changed about Leaf, it was her ability to get infuriated easily. She wasn't good with this kind of thing.

Veronica glared at her. "You were stalking around outside Brendan's room in a towel, did you want to go in and join them or something?! You're disgusting."

"That is not what happened!" Leaf screamed. "I came out of the shower and heard Brendan talking to Brianna, and then you appeared!"

Leaf almost swore she saw Veronica wince as Brianna's name was spoken.

"Wait...there's something you're not telling me," Leaf toned down her voice, grabbing Veronica's arm as she tried to storm out. "No, listen to me!" she hissed.

She stopped, glaring at Leaf. "I'm all ears," she spat.

"Why were you so offended by the idea of Brendan and Brianna having sex? It's not it means anything, they're not together," Leaf asked. "Do you like Brendan or something?"

"No," Veronica rolled her eyes. "I never liked that creep; Bri was the one who got us both involved with him. That was the reason why I threw myself at Gary at the beginning of the live shows, Brendan told us to do it for headlines and Bri told me it would be okay. She said the same to Melody too, she never truly wanted to go after Ash in the first place. The whole idea was stupid."

"So...you never liked Gary?" Leaf blinked - she was definitely surprised by this. "Or Brendan?"

"No! I don't like guys, okay?!" she screamed.

_Wh...what?_

Leaf felt her jaw drop open as Veronica's face turned a deep shade of red.

"I...shouldn't have said that..." the blonde girl whispered, putting her head in her hands. "Get out. You heard nothing. Get out of my _fucking_ room!"

Leaf smiled sadly, subconsciously chewing on her lower lip. "You're in love with Brianna aren't you?"

Veronica glared once more at the brunette, before her expression softened. "I...I..." she began to cry again. "I hate her for everything she's done while we've been here! The fame got to her head and she's changed so much...I hate her!"

Leaf found herself putting her arms around the girl, as well as buying herself some thinking time.

Everything made so much more sense now.

It explained why Veronica was always by Brianna's side and why she idiotically threw herself at Gary in the first place.

Leaf just assumed that she was an attention seeking whore but now she knew that she was wrong to think that. She didn't even know Veronica.

It also explained how Melody was able to get over Ash so easily and befriend Misty - Melody was never into him in the first place.

Veronica just followed Brianna's lead, which usually caused her trouble. Leaf had had her fair share of drama with this girl, but this was by far their most emotional moment.

"You don't hate her," Leaf whispered gently. "You should just tell her how you feel..."

Leaf had to be cautious with everything she said, she'd never handled a situation like this before.

"It's pretty clear that she'd rather do it with a rapist than even _consider_ me as more than a friend!" she cried.

"R...rapist?" Leaf repeated.

No...he didn't..._he couldn't!_

"You must know what I'm talking about..." she muttered. "He tried to rape May, I know."

She said it so casually...

That **bastard**. Leaf clenched her fists, before calming herself down. She'd talk to May about it later but she couldn't make a scene right now.

"D...does Brianna know about this?" Leaf asked, putting on a front that she knew about it.

"Of course she does, she was the one who told me. I'm guessing Brendan told her, but it was still shocking to hear. Brianna thought it was hilarious...I didn't, but I pretended to find it funny to make her happy."

"Brianna really thought that..?" Leaf murmured. "That's horrible...I know she despised May but laughing at something like that? That's awful!"

Veronica stood up, drying her eyes and tossing her hair from her face. "Exactly. She's a terrible person but I...I love her."

"How long for?" Leaf asked.

"We became friends when we were like twelve or something, but I started to get feelings for her a few years later. I never told her about my sexuality, she always assumed I was straight. I had boyfriends back in school but they never lasted longer than a week... I don't even know why I'm telling you all this!"

"Well I'm trying to help you!" Leaf snapped.

"I don't want your help, I can deal with this on my own!" she yelled back. "And if you tell anyone about who I really am then I swear to God I'll kill you Leaf Green!"

"Fine," Leaf stood up. "Just tell me this, why did you, Brianna and Melody pretend to like us during our performance together?!"

"Again, Brendan. Although Melody wasn't pretending," Veronica turned away. "Believe it or not, she actually likes you guys. Now get out of my room!"

Leaf glared at her. "You have a serious attitude problem!" she growled before storming out.

She ran back to her room to change, before the girls made their way up here.

Leaf just didn't understand Veronica, although what she found out was absolutely groundbreaking.

She never would have thought that Veronica was a lesbian. Not in a million years would she have guessed.

And May...the poor girl.

Not only did Brendan lead her on and change her, but he tried to abuse her.

Leaf lay on her bed, trying to process all of this new information in her mind. The door opened and Dawn walked in, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Hey Leafy," she chirped, crashing down on her bed.

"Heya," she replied, hesitant of whether or not she should say anything.

**_"And if you tell anyone about this then I swear to God I'll kill you Leaf Green!"_**

Maybe not.

"Dawn..." Leaf asked, lifting up her head to look at the blunette. "How many weeks do we have left here?"

Dawn bit her lip. "Uh...after tomorrow's elimination there's two weeks left till the final...if we make it that far of course."

"Of course we can!" Leaf beamed, "If we can make it this far then we can make it to the final."

"I guess we'll just have to see..." Dawn yawned. "I'm going to bed, goodnight girly."

"Night Dawny," Leaf whispered, before tiptoeing out of the room herself. She didn't want to disturb Dawn in her sleep after all.

The brunette stared at the stairs as she walked down each one of them, remembering their first day here. The girls had roped the guys into helping them with their suitcases. This was back when the two groups basically strangers.

When Gary and Leaf were nothing more than best friends.

Now things were ten times better. Gary and Leaf's relationship had gotten even stronger, going from best friends to lovers in a matter of months.

They still behaved like best friends, only Leaf was able to kiss his soft lips, touch him and be his little spoon.

There was nothing Gary liked more than spooning her. It was cute.

Then she remembered their night together. She wanted to go back so badly. Suddenly she ached to see him again. It had been a week already and Leaf was missing Gary like hell.

Daisy's wedding was definitely a messed up day, Leaf's emotions were sky high but it ended so beautifully that she just couldn't help but smile.

The brunette sighed, continuing to walk downstairs and find her friends.

She decided to keep quiet about Brianna's dislike for their group, telling wasn't going to help anyone right now. All four of them had their own problems to face and Leaf didn't want to drag her friends into her own mess. She could deal with this by herself.

Besides, with any luck Electric Heart would be out of the competition soon.

And with May's problem...Leaf knew she had to talk to her urgently.

* * *

><p><strong>Earlier that night - LaRousse City.<strong>

_"They're here and they're ready to shine, give it up for the gorgeous foursome, Tiger Rose!"_

"Aw! May looks so pretty, I love her soooo much! Drew look at her!"

Drew rolled his eyes. Once again, Emmy had come round to his house in a spur of the moment decision to watch SingOff with him.

"I'm looking at her alright..." he muttered, not taking his eyes off the brunette girl on his TV.

But she was just pixels on a screen. Drew wanted the real thing and he wanted her badly.

"Why are you so grouchy today?" Emmy grumbled, tossing her honey-blonde locks out of her face. "Oh my god, I should totally show you my new favourite anime! I'm reading the manga too, oh my god it's amazing! It's called _Fairy Tail_, and-"

"Em, for the millionth time, I don't like anime," he cut her off, "It's stupid. And speaking of mangas, you really need to stop exposing Lia to those yaoi mangas! She keeps asking me _questions_!"

She folded her arms and pouted. "I am not exposing her, it's not my fault she's hooked on them. Besides, kids need to learn these things."

Drew glared. "It is your fault! Lia is seven years old, she does not need to know about gay sex!"

"Excuse me, but the ones I've shown her are just the cutesy fluff stories! I keep _those ones_ to myself!"

"Uh...is this a bad time?"

Emmy and Drew looked up to see Mike standing in the doorway.

Emmy flushed red as she realised that he had been listening in to their entire conversation. "Mike!" she squeaked, "W...what are you doing here..?"

He shrugged. "I texted you asking if you were round here but you didn't reply so I took it as a yes," he smirked. "And you left the front door unlocked, before you ask."

"Oh..." she lowered her head.

"So what have you showed Lia now?" he asked.

Mike knew Emmy better than most people.

"It's not like it's hardcore yaoi! Besides, she's interested! It's good to encourage kids to get more hobbies, you know?"

Drew snorted. "Emmy, the only hobbies you have are eating junk food and crying over fictional characters. You're hardly a role model."

"You understand nothing Andrew," she glared. "Being part of multiple fandoms is tougher than it looks! I should get a medal for my services to Tumblr."

Drew buried his face in a nearby cushion and groaned.

"Why don't you just stay in the real world for a little while?" Mike asked, a tiny smile playing at his lips.

"Um...I'd rather not. But you really are _so_ cute!" Emmy giggled, ruffling his hair. "But _you_ on the other hand," she turned to Drew, "You are a boring fucker who seriously needs to get laid."

"Emmy!" Drew whined as Mike started to laugh.

"What? It's true," she smirked, getting up from the couch. "I'm going to go and see Lia, excuse me..."

They both watched as she headed for the hallway. The door closed and Drew shot Mike a smug grin. "Maybe you should follow her."

"Shut up," Mike glared in response.

"Just tell her you like her already," Drew yawned, "I'm pretty sure the feeling's mutual."

"I just...don't want to ruin our friendship, that's all..."

"That's understandable," Drew shrugged, "but I think you should go for it."

"Whatever..." Mike turned a light shade of red. "Hey, you're the last person who should be whining at me about this, I know you had May Maple around here a couple of weeks ago and you're not even official yet? Come on dude."

Drew was alarmed. "You know about that?!"

"I saw her hiding around your house, but I didn't want to say anything because I knew Emmy would spoil your uh..._plans_ otherwise," he raised his brows suggestively.

Now it was Drew's turn to flush peony. "It wasn't like that!" he hissed. "And don't you dare tell Emmy about this, she'll never shut up otherwise."

"Sheesh, someone's defensive," Mike mocked him playfully, nudging his arm.

Drew rolled his eyes, nudging back harder.

Mike retaliated and it wasn't long before it completely escalated, with Mike on the floor as Drew tickled him to death.

It wasn't weird to them at all - they'd known each other all their lives and they still had their childish sides inside.

"Get off me you fucker!" Mike growled through his laughter.

"Not until you agree to ask Emmy out," he grinned back.

_"Oh my god I totally ship it!"_

Drew sprang up from the floor, his face the colour of a strawberry.

Emmy and Lia were stood in the doorway, their eyes sparkling and their jaws wide open. Emmy was fanning herself, so distracted that she hadn't even realised why they were play-fighting in the first place.

Drew sweatdropped. "Emmy...don't even bother..."

The shining blue eyes of the honey-blonde lit up like fireworks as she flailed around on the spot. "That was _sooooo_ kawaii!"

Lia jumped up and down on the spot, clapping her hands. "Ha...Uncle Mikey is the uke! That's so funny!"

"Uh...what's one of those..?" Mike asked carefully.

Emmy grinned. "You're the one on the bottom while Drew is the seme, you know...the one on top."

_Silence..._

"I wish I'd never asked..." Mike scowled.

"I am going to kill you Emily," Drew glared at his best friend as she giggled.

Lia frowned, confused. "But why didn't you tell me that you and Uncle Mikey were together before? What about you and Ma-"

"Hey! Lia...let's get you some...uh...ice cream!" Drew quickly butted in before she could say it.

"But you never let me have ice cream usually..." she muttered, pondering something. Her eyes suddenly sparkled. "I think you should date Uncle Mikey forever! You're way cooler now!"

"Jesus Christ..." Mike put his head in his hands as Drew dragged his sister into the kitchen.

"It appears I taught you well, little Liana..." Emmy grinned to herself mischievously.

_"LIA, I AM NOT DATING MIKE!"_

The honey-blonde laughed as Mike flushed an angry red. This was just another average night in the Hayden household. Chaotic as usual.

But alas, this was all set to change.

_Fate was about to take a drastic turn..._

* * *

><p><strong>Sunday morning - Ever Grande City<strong>

"Last night huh..." Brendan yawned, lying in bed with one arm by his head while the other one lingered around Brianna. He looked down at her, "Any regrets?"

"Not at all," she grinned wickedly, not hesitating to ask him, "so which one are you going to torture today? Please make it May. That girl is so innocent and _bleugh_. I want to puke whenever I see her."

Brendan almost laughed. Brianna knew about what he tried to do to May, but the burgundy haired bitch had no idea what May was truly like.

While she was under the influence of Brendan he had stolen every aspect of innocence from her.

Well..._almost_ every aspect.

"May's suffered enough because of me, I'll cut her some slack for now," he grinned. "But I do have some other ideas."

"Enlighten me," she grinned.

Brendan shrugged. "You'll find out soon."

This morning he'd woken up earlier than Brianna. He'd grabbed his laptop and sent a few chosen pictures off without disturbing her.

"Just as long as it doesn't involve me, I don't care," she bit her lip.

"It has nothing to do with you, I always keep my word," he replied.

For once he was actually telling the truth, it wasn't about Brianna. He had the burgundy haired girl exactly where he wanted her, why change that?

_No..._Brendan knew exactly who was creeping outside his room last night, the sly little bitch. Her voice wasn't exactly the quietest.

Brendan grinned to himself.

Hopefully the upcoming publicity would force Leaf Green to keep her big mouth shut once and for all.

* * *

><p><strong>A few hours later...<strong>

"This weather is so beautiful!" Dawn cooed as the sunlight radiated against her pale skin.

The girls of Tiger Rose, along with Melody and Solidad had come down to the quiet beach nearby to relax for the day. They didn't have to be at the studios until six in the evening so there wasn't any reason to rush.

"It really is gorgeous," Melody giggled, smiling as Misty tried to drag her to go swim with her.

They really had become good friends, putting everything that happened all those weeks ago behind them.

Melody happily accepted that Misty and Ash were together but only Leaf knew the real reason why.

She was debating whether or not to talk to Melody about this, but Veronica threatened her into keeping quiet.

Of course, the last thing Leaf needed was another fight with _her_.

Instead, the brunette lay back and continued to lose herself in the heat of the summer.

May was quiet, anxiously biting her lip as she thought about the possibilities of going home.

She wouldn't have to deal with Brendan and his mind-games anymore, but she'd have to split up with three of the most amazing girls she'd ever met.

She didn't want Tiger Rose to end. Singing _Runaway_ with them yesterday proved just that...

Millions of thoughts were swarming around the poor girls mind. Flashbacks of Brendan's attack, instantly switching to the glory of last night's performance.

Everything was a whirlwind of shocks and triumphs, nobody knew what was going to happen next. The future lay ahead, quiet and untold.

Where would she be five years from now? Would she have a singing career or would she just float back into her old life in sleepy Petalburg...

_And what about Drew..._

She couldn't leave him hanging forever. The feelings they had for each other were evident, May could feel it in their kiss last week before Lia innocently interrupted them.

But she was too scared to trust anyone after Brendan hurt her, she needed time.

Being in this house offered her the escape that she needed, even if it was just for a short while.

With any luck, _he'd_ be eliminated tonight anyway.

"May? Can I talk to you for a sec?"

The brunette opened her eyes, squinting as the sunlight nearly blinded her. Leaf was standing nearby, looking at her seriously.

She looked gorgeous, clad in a two piece aquamarine bikini that really complimented her figure. Gary would be drooling if he was here.

"Sure thing," May smiled, "So what's up?"

She glanced back at Dawn and Solidad who were tanning peacefully. Dawn was almost too quiet. "Can we go take a walk over there?" Leaf asked. "I can't let anyone else hear this..."

Alarm bells flashed in May's mind - was she alright? What happened to her?!

May leapt up almost immediately, following the darker brunette down the path to the water's edge. Waves of salty sea tears rushed over her feet as they walked together.

Leaf felt a huge lump in her throat. "May, don't freak out but...I know."

Her eyes widened. "W...what are you talking about?"

"I know what Brendan did to you..."

May fell silent. She was taken aback, lost, confused.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered, keeping her head down.

"He tried to rape you, I know. Don't play dumb May."

"But...but you can't know!" May yelped, tears springing to her eyes. She looked around and making sure they were alone. "Brendan said that if anyone else found out then he'd...he'd-"

"Calm down," Leaf spoke. "Nothing's going to happen, he doesn't _know_ that I know. Veronica let slip by accident, she thought I knew already."

"Wait, you were talking to Veronica? This doesn't make sense, could you tell me what happened from the start?" May asked.

Leaf nodded, before going through everything that happened last night except for the part about Veronica's sexuality. Leaf didn't need that girl to hate her more than she already did.

"So Brendan and Brianna..? Ew that's disgusting!" May shuddered.

"I know," Leaf replied, shaking her head. "But why did you lie to us? What did Brendan do to make you keep quiet?"

May sighed. "Drew saved my skin that night. A part of Brendan was humiliated that Drew beat him up so bad, while the other half of him didn't want to go to jail. He said he'd stop with the pictures and he wouldn't dare touch me if I kept quiet...his whole life was depending on this Leafy, I had no choice..."

Leaf pulled her into a hug. "It's over now May...I'll protect you from him, okay? I won't let him near you."

"I screwed up so badly!" she wiped her eyes furiously. "How could I have trusted him so much..?"

"Because you're caring and sweet, May. He's a lying, cheating bastard and you weren't to know! None of us knew!"

"But we can't change the past," May muttered as she stared out into the horizon. "I can't go back and stop myself from this!"

"But we can learn from our mistakes," Leaf put her arm around her. "All of us can. I've learnt to grow up a little and put others before myself. Being with Gary made me realise that I'm not a little kid anymore," Leaf smiled.

"I'd say you both grew up a little," May giggled as they made their way back to Dawn and Solidad. Misty and Melody had returned, drying off after being in the water.

This was simply bliss...

_...but nothing lasts forever._

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Hiiiiii. It's currently snowing right now and I am so confused. IT IS MARCH. Damn this country and its pathetic weather.

I hope this was ok. I know this chapter was slightly filler-ish again (lol I fail) but it's simply the lead up to something huge. You're gonna hate me and that's all I'm saying xD

Not long left now, I'd say maybe five more chapters? Less? Maybe more? I have no idea.

Thank you so much for reviewing, I'm nearly at 600! :D Keep the reviews coming and I'll definitely keep updating, this is serious motivation ;')

Feel free to check out my other stories too, my oldrival/contest story Codename Kitty is getting an amazing response and I couldn't be happier! They'll be an update soon too in case you were wondering. I just want to say thank you to those who review both of my fics, you're my favourites and you all have a special place in my kokoro :3 (Especially you Kaurz, Hunger Tail buddies fo' lyf c; )

Bye for now!

Love Lucy aka Tay aka Tails aka SunshineTails aka whatever you feel like calling me.


	30. Chapter 30: Every Step of the Way

Hi guys ^_^ I can't believe it's the 30th chapter already, time flies...

Replies!

**Guest** - No promises there my friend ^^'

**malory79080** - it totally does, it was raining all day yesterday -_- Pfft I think we all hate Brendan, even me xD

**CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva** - Well congrats to you for getting it right! ;) I'll try not to kill anyone ;) but I can be unpredictable at times. Even I don't know what I'm gonna do... Kyaaa! Don't hate me! ;) Well I wanted one of the girls to find out so May isn't keeping it to herself. Brianna is just damn messed up but you know...with the fame getting to her head and all that. Not I'd know of course xD Teehee I lurrrrrve me some oldrival ;) They're one of my favourite ships and they're so cute together and omfgdhakwkqkla. Ehhh that moment just happened. I don't know what was going through my mind XD Yes, we are huge fans of Fairy Tail ;) She's my FT buddy fo lyf man. WOW I CAN'T BELIEVE WE'VE ACTUALLY INFLUENCED SOMEONE LIKE WHAT THE HELL? (It's a good WTH of course) It is such a amazing anime/manga though, plus Natsu is my precious little muffin and we are married. Since my real name is Lucy, it is fate after all ;) Jeeeez you are so cute have I ever told you that? Uh oh...*runs and hides because I forgot about that story* I didn't mean to, honest... ^^' I'm so determined to finish either this or Codename Kitty first though. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about that... Omg that was such a good idea! I have added the possibility of a long Fairy Tail based fic to my list of things to consider... ^_^ Aw it's just so reassuring to know that somehow people like me and the nonsense that is my stories XD Yay!

**Eeveexme** - Ehhhh there isn't much shipping in this one...and there is a reason for that ^^' I'll try though!

**bluejay511** - Well you're definitely right there, something huge is going to happen ^_^ Sorry the chapter was late, but I hope you like it!

**LunarEclipse22428** - Thank you so much! I'm trying to make this story as unique as I can and I'm glad you like it ^_^ Ah you see, Brendan was trying to get back at Leaf for finding out, but maybe he didn't target her directly? Lol, hints xD Awwww that's so nice, thank you again! :3

**Level X** - Of course I mentioned Fairy Tail, that anime is my freaking life! I am so obsessed with it I actually freak myself out sometimes... Ah, the beautiful world of Yaoi. Emmy is based on my crazy fangirl side so naturally, she ships her male friends together ;) I am such a sucker for yaoi omfg. Kyaaaa thank you! I'm glad it was a good plot twist, it literally came to me at the last minute xD

**XWhiteChanX** - D'awww, Lia is just very confused over the idea of yaoi ;) Haha thank you! ^_^

**Gloss Gurl** - omg thank you! :3 Hopefully you like this chapter too! ^^

**Kaurz9802** - Awww well it's so obvious that Mashima ships Nalu more than we do ;) (A tiny part of me ships Loke and Lucy together however but Nalu is the shit xD) AWWW HONEY YOU'RE MAKING ME BLUSH ;) Seriously though, it's not that great! Although I do like surprises. The Veronica thing came to me randomly in school ages ago and I was just like ohmygod this is happening. Ahhhh, I could imagine Brendan having to deal with a demon Mira and a very angry Erza ;) Now that would be fun to include. I COULDN'T NOT MENTION FAIRY TAIL OKAY (and I had to make Emmy a fan just because) teehee that was fun to write I have to admit. The Emmy parts of this story just seem to come naturally to me, she speaks my mind xD AHHHH YOU ARE TOO AMAZING I SWEAR! You're very welcome for that mention too. Nah, YOU are the best HG/FT buddy ever. I just can't compare ;)

**south script** - Yaoi is possibly my favourite thing ever ;) Perhaps next to Fairy Tail.

**Star0890** - Thank you so much sweetie! :3

**szdczsrf** - Wow really? That's awesome! I'm sorry for the long wait but I hope you like it ^^

**eeveeluvr** - Ahaha I know right! Well I kinda wanted to be different so I went for another approach and I hope it was good! Heh you're not the only one, I love yaoi xD The amount of palletshipping fics I creep on is just ridiculous -_- Yes, DREW IS AN ANIME HATER. He clearly understands nothing. Maybe things will get better or maybe they won't. I haven't decided yet xD Enjoy the chap!

**SpecialxGirl** - Awww you can have one anyway! *passes cookie*. Haha I like your way of thinking! Well I've been very happy-go-lucky with this story so far and it seems to have worked out fine. Although I have no idea what's going to happen next yet ^^'

**pikachushinystar** - Haha before last chapter I never would have thought that either xD the idea just came to me so suddenly ^^'

**Apheleia** - You know, I am SO glad you pointed that out to me because I read it back and realised that it actually was annoying o.o I was doing it without even realising, but now I've thought about paragraphing while I was writing this chapter and I think it's better than the previous one in that respect. I think xD And also with the dialogue extensions too. I'm always looking for honest feedback so I can improve, so thank you! ^_^

**cutiepiepo2** - AWWWW THANK YOU! I'm so happy you like my stories because I do try my best with all of them! You are so nice though, like your reviews are always adorable. Me? Author? Haha not quite girl ;) Maybe one day, but who knows xD

**Pok3monTrain3erBlu3** - Haha aw yay! ^_^ If I ever find that portal, I'm taking you all with me to the Pokemon world. I'll try! Hopefully you like the chapter :3

**drewXhayden** - haha I know right?

**idiot. net** - Haha yay! ^_^ Hmm I guess we just do things differently over here xD the spell check on my phone says it's right ;) Yeah you did! *gives cookies* well done xD

**Guest** - thank you! :3

**DarkTyphlosion** - Awww sorry about that ;) Eh...maybe Brendan doesn't do something to Leaf personally, but perhaps he does something to someone that will affect her? (I shouldn't be giving hints but ah well...) Sorry for the wait here's the chapter! ^^

**LoveLoverGrl** - Ahh ^^' He is isn't he...

**Lillian11** - Awww yay thank you so much for reviewing a bunch of chapters! I love it when people do that (and I'm not mad at you either, n'awww) ^^ You love Fairy Tail too? Yeaaaaah! Well it's kinda impossible not to, it's way too damn amazing ;) Awww we'll just have to see what happens to Emmy and Mike ;) Enjoy the chap!

**midnightcures** - D'awww thank you! ^^ it's been a while I know but I hope this chapter can make up for that :3

(Phew replying is tiring...but worth it of course ;) )

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I own nothing! As always! ^_^'

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 30: Every Step of the Way**

**...**

* * *

><p>Solidad narrowed her eyes as she looked upon the swarm of reporters gathered outside their usually-peaceful house.<p>

The six girls were in the car on their way back from the beach. It had been a perfect day and the last thing the peach haired beauty needed was more drama. It was never ending.

"I...guess we should just push through them?" May spoke, breaking the silence that had fallen upon them all.

"Ignore them," Misty muttered, stepping out of the car. "Whatever they say to you, ignore it."

"How am I supposed to do that?!" May replied back worriedly, paranoid that somebody had found out her secret. It was shameful enough having Leaf and Drew know what happened to her, she couldn't even bear the thought of the whole world knowing.

"It'll be okay," Leaf subtly whispered into May's ear. "It can't be about Brendan, there's no way he'd let it happen."

"I guess you're right..." May shivered, a feeling of dread lingering in her stomach.

Sure enough, the girls were hounded by reporters as they headed for the door. Although they seemed to badger Dawn far more than the other five.

_"Dawn!"_

_"Dawn Berlitz!"_

_"Dawn, is it true that-"_

The blunette herself was in shock over what she just heard. She froze, not even reacting as Misty pushed a photographer out of the way and grabbed her arm.

"Dawn, move your damn legs!" Misty snapped.

Dawn snapped out of her trance and ran for the open door, eager to get out of that crowd. Leaf shut the door behind them, tiredly running a hand through her hair. Solidad, May and Melody walked straight into the front room, eager to collapse on the sofa and prepare themselves for later on.

"I'm so glad we got away from them," Leaf smiled. However, her smile faded as she noticed the panic stricken look on Dawn's face.

Misty saw it too. "Dawn! What's going on?!"

Dawn blanked her completely, bolting for the stairs. Misty and Leaf exchanged looks of worry before following her up almost immediately. They debated on whether or not to tell May that something was wrong, but Leaf decided against it. Involving May in any more drama was a bad move, the girl had been through enough already.

"Dawn..." Misty called out softly, pushing the door open.

They found her lying on her bed in a crumpled mess, crying her eyes out.

Misty ran over immediately, putting her arms around the blunette to try and calm her down. Dawn was hysterical, she could hardly even breathe.

"Dawn please...tell me what's wrong."

Leaf hesitantly perched on Dawn's bed. She was too anxious to comfort the blunette, various scenarios rushing through her mind of why Dawn was so upset.

"They...they know..." she spoke slowly through deep breaths. Her porcelain skin was even more pale than before, and tears continued to fall.

"They know what?!" Leaf asked, a serious look on her face. She just couldn't put on an act in this sort of situation.

Misty glanced over at Leaf in surprise, unsure of why she reacted in that way.

Dawn didn't seem to realise the change. "The...the reporters know what I did..." she trembled.

"They know you're dating Paul..?" Misty asked tactfully, although she already knew the answer.

"Worse," she whispered. "They know I ch...cheated on Lucas with Paul."

Both Misty and Leaf grew silent. That was the news that they both knew was coming, but hadn't wanted to believe it.

Inside, Leaf was having an emotional battle with herself.

Part of her was angry that Brendan had lied to May by sending off those pictures of Dawn and Paul, but another part of her was thinking that maybe Brendan actually stuck to his word after all.

Did he somehow know that Leaf knew..? No, he couldn't.

"Leaf," Misty spoke up, grabbing the brunette's attention, "could you go and get May? Dawn wants to talk to her."

"Sure," Leaf replied, trying to keep her composure.

She left the room and quickly headed for the stairs, as the last thing she wanted was a confrontation with Veronica or Brendan. Leaf hurried downstairs and carefully opened the door to the front room where May, Melody and Solidad were watching TV.

"May," Leaf spoke, grabbing her attention.

"Yeah?"

"Come upstairs for a moment," Leaf replied, unsure of what to say while Melody and Solidad were here.

"Why?" she blinked.

"Misty wants to talk to all of us before the show tonight," Leaf lied, but it seemed to work as May got up from her seat.

The girls headed up the stairs, stopping outside of their room.

"Look..." Leaf muttered, "That's not the reason why I called you up here."

"It's not?" May questioned, "What's going on Leaf?"

_"Why, isn't it obvious?"_

Leaf shuddered as she felt an unfriendly arm snake around her shoulders. May said nothing, glaring at Brendan while putting two and two together. "What have you done now?!" she growled.

"I'd be quiet if I were you May," he smirked at the brunette. "Now...I think it's about time we had a little talk? Just the three of us?"

May's eyes flashed in alarm. "We already talked Brendan, we made an agreement!"

Brendan unhooked his arm from Leaf and put his finger to May's lips. "You're shouting again, sweetheart."

"Don't you touch her!" Leaf snapped, pulling at his arm.

May lowered her head. "Brendan...what do you want from us..?" she asked.

He chuckled to himself for just a moment. "I want you to cooperate with me."

"And what if we don't?!" May glared back.

He leant closer. "We don't want a repeat of last time now, do we May?"

"I _hate_ you," she spat.

"I know," he grinned. "Now get in my room. Like I said, we need to talk."

Surprisingly enough, Leaf nodded. May stared at her as if she'd gone mad.

"Leaf, are you crazy?!" she gawked, following her as she walked away with Brendan.

"If he tries anything, Misty and Dawn are just in our room over there. Don't worry," she whispered.

May was still unsure about this, but she followed her inside nevertheless.

"If you even think about locking that door, we're leaving," Leaf crossed her arms.

"Fine," he shrugged, sitting on his bed.

Leaf decided that she didn't want to waste any more time in here than she had to. She went straight in for the kill. "Why did you do it?"

Brendan knew what she was referring to, and right now he didn't want to play around too much. This could be a disaster if he wasn't careful.

"May and I made a deal on our first day back in the house after the break," he glanced smugly at lighter brunette.

May stared at the ground. "It wasn't like that, I had no choice."

_**"If you tell anyone who I really am, I swear to God I will make your life a misery. I'll come after you again, but this time...I will have you Maybelle."**_

She shuddered, thinking back to her first talk with Brendan. However, a realisation occur inside Leaf.

"You...you gave out those pictures of Dawn and Paul just because I found out what you did?!" Leaf growled angrily, in complete disbelief.

Was he really that heartless?

"He did what?!" May shrieked.

Leaf blinked for a second, before realising that she hadn't told May about Dawn's recent publicity scandal yet. She mentally cursed herself.

"Why did you do that?!" May barked, her entire body tense.

"Because," he stood up and headed towards May, putting his finger under her chin and tilting her head up. He smirked as she flinched. "Both of you need to understand that I roll the dice here. This is my game."

"I don't understand..." Leaf muttered.

He let go of May, turning to Leaf. "You don't understand?" he repeated. "Leafy, you just saw exactly what happened with poor little innocent Dawn out there. You wanna know who's fault that was?"

Leaf said nothing. She knew he did it because she found out his secret.

"So the next time you want to come creeping around outside my room, don't," he smirked.

Leaf gasped - he knew she was there?

"Besides...we all know where your overpowering curiosity got you last time, _kitty_."

Leaf stared at him with a piercing gaze. "You're a monster."

"There's a monster inside me Leafy..." he murmured sensually, "you just have to unleash it."

He was _disgusting_.

"I have a boyfriend, no thanks," Leaf spat, playing Brendan at his own game.

"Well Dawn Berlitz had a boyfriend too...but that didn't stop her from hooking up with Paul Shinji, did it? What a whore."

And that was when May snapped.

"How _dare_ you! You don't know half of what she's been through, Brendan!" she shrieked, throwing herself at him. She balled her hands up into fists and aimed for his smug little face. Her common sense was blinded by this sudden burst of anger.

"Woah...easy there, little girl," he laughed, grabbing her hands.

She froze in place, staring straight at him until he let go of her. He just smirked, "Consider Dawn's little scandal a warning. If anyone else finds out, then I will _ruin_ you May."

May glared at him. Leaf spoke up first. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't go to the cops right now."

He chuckled, turning to May. "You really want everyone to know what happened between us..?"

"There was never an _us_!" she replied, a sharp tone to her voice. "You used me! You played me like a fool and I believed every word you said!"

Leaf just stared in shock at May's outburst. The hurt in her eyes, the painful look on her face...Leaf knew that this was killing her. Going to the police and dragging the law into this, what would that achieve? Yes, Brendan would be arrested and that would be good, but May didn't want anyone knowing about what happened to her.

It was a tough situation.

"Cute, May. I almost shed a tear just now."

She scowled. "You've made my life a living hell! Why can't you just leave me and Leaf alone?!"

"Because you're way too much fun to torment," he grinned. "Plus, I'm sure your life was just fine when you jumped into bed with your precious hero _Drew_ that night..."

May was shocked, how the hell did he know?! "It wasn't like that, he was looking out for me!" she argued back.

Brendan snorted. "He's a guy. Guys only want one thing."

"Drew isn't like you," she was seething with rage. "He's ten times the man that you'll _ever_ be!"

"You'll see eventually," Brendan sniggered. "This isn't a fairy tale. Drew wont wait forever, you know."

"You know nothing. This conversation is over," she replied bitterly, dragging Leaf outside of the room and slamming the door.

"Do you want to talk?" Leaf asked quietly.

May shook her head, trying her best to smile. "Nah. Now we should go and cheer Dawn up before the show tonight!"

Leaf watched as she opened the door to their room, blinking back her tears. May was so sweet and loving, she was even willing to put her own feelings and problems aside to help Dawn.

All Leaf wanted was for her to be happy but that was never going to happen while they were in this _damn_ house.

* * *

><p><strong>Veilstone City - the Sinnoh region<strong>

Reggie watched with curious eyes as Paul entered the living room. Something was off. He was looking murderously at his phone as he scrolled continuously, his eyes looking away for a second before focusing on the screen once again.

"Paul?" Reggie spoke, trying to clear this tense aura.

He didn't say a word.

"What's wrong?" Reggie continued to carefully badger him. He just wanted to know what was going on. Paul looked up almost immediately, glaring at Reggie before dropping his phone in his lap. He hesitantly picked it up, glancing at Paul first.

"What..?" Reggie muttered, completely shocked as he read through the news article that Paul had been scrolling through.

"So Dawn had a boyfriend...yet she was screwing you at the same time?"

Paul knew what he was thinking. _Whore_. _Slut_. _Bitch_. The words that the whole world were using to describe the blunette right now. He wanted to defend her; he wanted to march all the way to that house and just hold her, telling her that everything was going to be okay.

But he couldn't.

Reggie said nothing, knowing that if he gave his opinion on that article, Paul would do something that he would come to regret.

"You should talk to her," Reggie muttered.

"I just don't understand!" he barked. "Why would she do this to me?!"

Inside, Paul felt betrayed and broken. He didn't know about Brendan and his plans, and everything in that article had led him to believe that Dawn was the one who had done this.

What was her motive? Attention? Was she told to do it as a publicity scandal? The article itself was all full of lies, twisted to make out that Dawn was using him for sex, when in reality they hadn't even come close to that. The only thing real were the images.

Where else could these have come from? The more Paul thought, the more unlikely it seemed that anyone else could have done this.

He couldn't stay in this house any longer. After grabbing his phone back from Reggie, he shoved it in his pocket and stomped out of the door. The cold, crisp Sinnoh air hit him like a ton of bricks as he began to walk, but nothing could compare to the emotional pain he was feeling right now. He didn't care. He just stared at the ground, putting one foot in front of the other just to see where he ended up. He wanted to be anywhere but here.

Little did he know that his wrong assumption could destroy everything that he and Dawn once had. He was walking straight into his own fate.

Strangely enough, Paul ended up walking past his entrance to the Spring Path. He stopped and looked back, remembering that he had taken Dawn here not too long ago. She was so happy that day, so why would she want to blow them apart like this?

Paul didn't know why, but he found himself becoming attracted to the path. He walked closer and closer, making sure nobody was here before slipping past the trees and bushes.

The path itself was just as beautiful as he remembered. The leaves on the trees were a charming emerald colour, and flowers blossomed everywhere. Natural beauty. Each and every one of those flowers reminded him of her.

Tiny droplets of rain fell from the heavens but he was past caring. He soon made it to the heart of the Spring Path, the place that made Dawn's little face light up like a Christmas tree the moment she saw it.

Thinking back was like a stab in the chest, and now he was twisting the knife further. The last time he walked down this path, he was with her. It was a beautiful day.

...

_"Wh...how did you find this place?"_

_"My brother and I found it when we were kids, and we called it the Spring Path. I haven't been here in awhile..."_

_"Have you ever told anyone about it?"_

_"No, I haven't actually...you're the first."_

_..._

He wasn't lying, she really was the first. Paul had trusted her enough to let her into a special part of his life, and now she had thrown it all back in his face. She even managed to get him in the lake that day. He'd pushed her in for a joke, and she'd dragged him down with her.

Then they kissed. Hands entwined under the water as he held her close, wanting this moment to last forever.

The rain began to spit harder, soaking Paul as he just stood and stared at the place that held so many memories, past and present.

He put his head down and began to walk towards the beautiful gleaming cave. A bitter reality overcame him as he stepped inside. Last time he was here, he'd asked Dawn to be his girlfriend.

Now she'd abused his trust and love. Their romance wasn't real, it was based on cheating, secrets and cameras. Dawn obviously wasn't the girl he thought she was.

_Now if only Dawn had told him the truth about Brendan that day, then this wouldn't be happening._

It was just so cruel. Their love was real but Paul was refusing to believe that. He was blindsided by anger for something that Dawn hadn't even done, but he didn't even know it.

And that was what made this so bittersweet.

He grabbed his phone and swallowed hard, before calling her number.

* * *

><p>May was continually blinking back her tears as she held Dawn in her arms, rocking back and forth gently. She'd stopped crying, but she was still so upset over what happened.<p>

The brunette felt so guilty. All of this came from her and her stupidity of trusting Brendan so easily. She let him into her life and just allowed herself to be led astray by his charming ways.

She hated herself for it. Brendan had walked all over her and stabbed her in the back for good measure.

But it wasn't her that was paying the price this time, it was Dawn.

"What are we going to do..?" Misty spoke softly to Leaf as they watched May comfort her. "We have to get ready to leave soon, but Dawn..."

"I don't know," Leaf spoke honestly. Someone would be leaving the Competition tonight, and for the first time she hoped it was her and the girls.

It wasn't fun anymore. Brendan was watching their every move and Brianna wasn't much better. All the decent people had left, the only nice people being Melody and Solidad.

Leaf wanted out. She wasn't one to give up so easily but she was missing Gary so much it hurt. None of them were happy here right now.

A small repetitive chime came from the bedside table beside Dawn's bed. She leant over to pick it up and just froze. "It's Paul..." she whispered.

"You should answer it, he's probably confused about all of this..." Leaf spoke.

Dawn hesitantly answered the phone. "P...Paul, I-"

_"Shut up,"_ he said simply.

"What?" she muttered.

_"You know damn well what! Why did you tell the press about us?!"_

Dawn just stared ahead in total shock. Wait. He didn't know about the Brendan situation so _of_ _course_ he'd blame her for this...

"It wasn't me who did this, you've got it all wrong I swear!" she yelled back in desperation.

_"Huh. Then who did?!"_ he sneered back in a voice that made Dawn recoil.

Paul was sneering so loudly that the girls could hear what he was saying. The look in May's eyes was telling her _no_. The Brendan situation was dangerous, and getting Paul involved was the last thing any of them wanted to do.

_"Exactly. You can't tell me because you did it!"_

"I...I'm sorry-" she whispered.

_"Whatever. You aren't the girl I thought you were, Dawn. Attention seeking fame-whores aren't **really** my type."_

"If you're gonna break up with me then just do it!" she screamed. "Or better yet, I'll break up with you. We're over."

Saying those words killed her inside. She loved Paul, but there was no going back now. She had to choose her best friends over him. May didn't, and just look how she ended up.

Dawn hung up and tossed her phone to her pillow. Leaf watched her, she was eerily calm.

"Thank you so much," May started to cry, almost leaping on Dawn to hug her.

"That's what friends are for, right?" Dawn smiled brightly, although she was unable to stop the flow of tears from falling down her cheeks.

May was in total shock. Dawn didn't even know the truth of what happened _that_ night, yet she knew to keep quiet about Brendan. She would have told her what happened right there and then, if Brendan wasn't threatening her of course.

"We need to start getting ready to go, the show's tonight!" Dawn continued on with her false smile, dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she ran to the bathroom.

"This isn't fun anymore," Misty sighed. "This is a game of who can keep their pride for the longest. Dawn just lost the game. It'll be me next, or you two."

"But what else can we do?!" Leaf asked desperately. "Unless we go tonight, we're just stuck in this vicious circle."

"Let's just pray that they didn't vote for us then," Misty spat, heading out of the room.

It was just Leaf and May left. Sapphire eyes met hazel as the two just stared at each other, wondering how this situation managed to turn so ugly.

Both of them wanted to go back to the day of Daisy's wedding. It was the first day that May had felt truly happy after the incident, and Drew was there by her side as she said sorry to Leaf for what she did.

Leaf had her own reasons for missing that day as much as she did. Although Amy's accident was heartbreaking, Gary was there for Leaf every step of the way. And naturally, she had to repay him for it.

"We can get through this," May whispered.

Leaf nodded. They'd managed to overcome this much, they could do it.

And even if they left tonight...not all would be lost.

* * *

><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> I just killed Ikarishipping. *cries and flies away into the sunset before you all kill me*

Eh...I'm sorry this was so bad. ^^' I was going to write more but it's been more than a month since my last update... I wouldn't be surprised if you've all given up on me by now.

I haven't really been myself lately because of some personal issues, but I've tried so hard to get back into writing because of an amazing authoress on this site, who means a hell of a lot to me. I'd dedicate this chapter to her but since this one was so depressing, I'm dedicating this whole story to her. ^_^ Kaurz, I know you're reading this and I'm sorry for being so damn soppy ;) I just wanted you to know that you're the best Hunger Games and Fairy Tail buddy in the world and thank you (again) for putting up with me and my laziness for this long! ^_^ Love ya, you Gray Fullbuster fangirl ;)

Anyway, please leave a review if you can? ^_^ I need a lot of motivation to finish this story and it would help me so much, thank you :)

And thanks for all the reviews from last chapter too! I hit 600! ^_^

I love you all, and I'll definitely try and make the next chapter better than this one -_- Sorry..

Bye for now.

-Tay


	31. Chapter 31: Who Knew

Hi guys! I've been bombarded with exams lately but now I'm almost free. Enjoy the chapter!

Replies to reviews!

**Elegante** - Awww yay, thanks! I hope you like the chapter :)

**LeafxGreenx3** - Hey you're back! I was wondering where you've been ;) Pffft I totally get you, I am so behind on my reviews and PMs because I keep getting distracted... IM SORRRRRY OKAY. The Ikari hasn't really had an easy ride from the start, but they'll get there eventually xD Oh my god it hurts to write him, but at the same time, it's strangely fun... Brendan really is something else. I literally have no idea how the rest of the story is going to play out. Like no idea. I'm just going to wing it and hope it turns out okay ^_^ Awwwww that's so cute I love you! It's so reassuring to know that people are here for me, so thank you! c:

**bluejay511** - Ahaha I know right? Thanks so much for reviewing and I hope you like the next chapter too!

**Iloveikari** - I just knew from your pen name alone that you weren't going to like the events of last chapter xD I'm sorrrrrry ;) I don't think they'll be getting back together any time soon but we'll see. Feel free to kill Brendan. He's evil xD

**eeveeluvr** - I never originally planned for this much drama but damn is it fun to write! Omg :((( That was a total spur of the moment decision but we'll see what happens from here ^^' Haha! Please don't explode, I'll feel bad ;)

**Lillian11** - Awwww! *cyber hugs* That was honestly such a lovely review, I can't thank you enough! ^_^ Ah don't worry, Brendan will definitely get what's coming to him one way or another, we shall see xD Yes, of course your review made me feel better! I hope you like the chapter :)

**Eeveexme** - omg! I have no idea what I'm going to do with the Ikari now, but I guess I'll think of something ^_^

**Star0890** - awww thank you so much! Hopefully this chapter doesn't disappoint! :)

**drewXhayden** - aw yay! Thank you so much!

**Level X** - I didn't take you seriously don't worry ;) that's exactly the kind of reactions was hoping for, it's funny when people get so into the storyline, ahaha! Enjoy ^_^

**leafeonchick03** - aw I know right :)

**SpecialxGirl** - You are more than welcome :) I'm sorry for killing ikari but I will make it up to you someday! I'm sorry for the lack of shippy moments but I can't really add the cute moments because of the distance between them :/ ahaha no, I adore long reviews so thank you!

**CierraLuvsPokemon4Eva** - Haha same here! I usually have no idea how a chapter is going to turn out until I've written it. Hmmm I never really thought about giving Brianna a back story but idk maybe I will. Awww I know right! She's so amazing I swear, I'm just so lucky to have her! Haha, we just discovered that we had the same interests and now we just talk non-stop Fairy Tail xD Haha yay! I've even managed to get my 9 year old brother into Fairy Tail, he absolutely loves it! (Although I can't help but wonder if I've just ruined his life...) Gray is so hot, but I can't cheat on my cutie husband like that, you know? ;) Kyaaaa, yes you are! Your reviews always make my day ^_^ Awww yay! I am 98% certain that there is going to be a sequel for IHTBY, but I'm going to give Codename Kitty the cutest ending I can possibly give it (but motivation is seriously lacking for that story right now...) Thank you so much! ^_^ Wow that's amazing! That's so great to hear because it shows that you like it for the writing and storyline, not just the romance. I'm sorry ;) Awww really? You can marry my fics it's okay ;) I seriously can't believe you like this so much, it's people like you that give me the most motivation to carry on and finish what I started, so thank you for that, really. Love ya CeeCee!

**Kaurz9802** - NO OMG DONT SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU ARE THE MOST FLAWLESS, SWEETEST AND MOST AMAZING PERSON EVER! Awww you're more than welcome ok. You're so sweet, things are actually looking up honey and I'm just so happy right now! I'll tell all about it in my next PM. If I'm talented, then you must be super talented because I can't even compare myself to you okay ^_^ Awww that's so cute I love you! Me? A professional author? Pshhhhh as if ;) Yes ahaha! Along with the rest of the guild, we could totally kick his sorry ass right into next week! I suddenly regret splitting Dawn and Paul up now ^^' oops... Seriously though, thank you thank you thank you! For everything! I'm sorry I haven't gotten back to you on that PM this week, it's been the craziest week of my life! I'll reply soon I promise. Nah, I love you more you Gray fangirl!

**malory79080** - AHHHH IM SORRY DX Awww omg really? That's so sweet! ^^ Wow you love all those three things too? Same here! We are one ;) My yaoi obsession is getting really bad lately and that's all I'm going to say about it xD

**jayfeather12345** - Ahhhh thank you so much! I just love writing the drama scenes because they're so much fun. Awww really? Thank you for saying so because it really boosts my confidence! I love T Swift too, she's amazing ^^ Aw it's fine, I love long reviews! I will definitely try and add more Pokeshipping if I can fit it in somewhere. But I'm also planning for a sequel so we'll see! Awww thanks to people like you I don't think I could ever give up :3

**KayJune** - N'awww I'm sorry!

**Pokefangirl** - hahaha aw thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter then! Don't you worry, I told him ;)

**pikachushinystar** - ahaha well a lot of people like franticshipping but I was never a hoennshipping fan xD Maybe they will, you'll just have to see ;)

**Shaymin33starphoenix** - Yay, thank you so much! Enjoy the chapter, kay? :3

**Cutiepiepo2** - Awww! Thank you so damn much seriously, I couldn't ask for nicer praise! Pffft you think ;) I personally can't see it but hehe! I'm a procrastinator too, it's getting really bad now too xD Ahaha you're hilarious! xD I adore Emmy, the parts with her fangirliness just seems to come so naturally to me. I can't think why ;) Nalu is totally my otp, they're made for each other! And the almost Jerza kiss, omg I nearly passed out! Haha! The next Codename Kitty chapter is almost done too, so look out for it! Love ya.

**XxStarryHeavenxX** - Thanks! :3

**Gloss Gurl** - Aw thank you! ^^ I hope you like the chapter.

**DarkTyphlosion** - I can see why, he is pretty bad xD Thanks so much, and I'm sorry for killing you my with the ikari split ;)

**LuvAllPokemon** - Haha yes! They're my favourite parts too because I can unleash my inner fangirl in Emmy ;) Lia is exactly what I would want in a little sister so that's how I portrayed her and she's gone down so well with all you guys! YES! I love the way you think, sometimes going against what people expect is the best thing for the story. FAIRY TAIL! The manga is amazing right now, I so got chills from that last chapter! I love Natsu the most, he's just so cute yet so powerful and strong! I'll never know how he does that. Yeah I'm the same, I always wondered if American high school is the same as it is in the movies you know? UK high schools aren't too thrilling to be honest, but I actually finished school forever last week and it feels so weird...

**Nicole** - THANK YOU SO MUCH, SERIOUSLY! That means a hell of a lot to me personally, and it gives me so much drive to finish this! I can't believe this is your favourite story, I'm actually honoured ^^ Thanks so much for those tips, I always try and keep myself as motivated as I can, because I can't wait to finish this! I'll probably cry too xD Awww thank you so much again, you're so sweet!

Phew they always take a while but it's so worth it. Thanks for all the support guys! I needed it and you all gave me the drive to finish this chapter! Yay!

* * *

><p><strong>Disclaimer<strong> - I'll let Emmy do it.

Emmy: Yeaaah. Alright, SunshineTails doesn't own Pokemon! I'm not even in Pokemon! I am but a figure of her very wild imagination!

Me: Emmy...

Emmy: Wait, but why am I even in this story if I'm not from the series? Neither is Lia! What's up with that Tay?

Me: _Emmy..._

Emmy: Yeah?

Me:** *points to Mike*** I think he wants to talk to you...

Emmy: ***blushes*** uh...I gotta go! Bye bye, all you cutie muffins! Make sure you leave a review at the end for Drew's sexy hair!

Drew: ***touches hair defensively***

Me: Let's just get this over with.

* * *

><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 31: Who Knew**

**...**

* * *

><p><strong>Pallet Town - Kanto<strong>

_"Hello and welcome to the semi-finals of SingOff! I'm your host Marian and you're all in for a special treat tonight!"_

"Gare, could you pass me the remote? I want to turn up the tv."

The brunet boy glanced over at his sister as she spoke. She was cuddling with her newly-wed husband and just seeing this made Gary's heart jolt for all the wrong reasons.

Seeing Daisy acting so lovey-dovey with Liam was killing him. He ached to be able to hold Leaf again, kiss her, mark her as his and love her, but the distance was keeping them apart. She was in Hoenn living her dream while he was stuck in Kanto without a purpose or direction.

But just like Paul and Ash, Gary didn't know what was going on behind the scenes in Ever Grande City. He thought Leaf was having the time of her life, when in fact it was the complete opposite.

She was living in fear for May and her own personal life, whilst putting on a façade of happiness for the cameras. Gary knew nothing.

"Who do you you think is going tonight?" Ash murmured. He was lying horizontally on the couch with his head on Gary's shoulder.

Gary shrugged at the question, although he hoped that the other girl group Electric Heart left the show. They were really beginning to piss him off, plus they were the cause of drama back when he was in the competition.

Ash sighed, his position on the couch proving to be uncomfortable. He moved slightly, so he was lying on Gary's lap rather than leaning on his shoulder.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" he growled. "Get off!"

Ash looked up at him, feigning hurt in his eyes. "Aww...but I just got comfy..."

The look in Gary's eyes was similar to the one of a murderous wolf. "Get off me."

"Or what?" Ash grinned.

"Or I'll send Misty all your baby pictures."

The colour seemed to drain from his cheeks as he protested. "You can't do that, she's _evil_! She'll never let it slide! Well I'll send yours to Leaf then!"

Gary sighed. "Idiot, she's seen them already! I've known her all my life! You have too!"

"Oh yeah, I forgot..." he muttered.

Daisy giggled, watching from the other side of the room. "Lay off him Gare."

"Yeah!" Ash smiled triumphantly. "Besides, when Leaf was here the other week, you got her to lie on you like this all the time!"

"That's different," he replied irritably.

Ash said nothing, sending his best friend a smug grin before turning his attention back to the TV. He really was an idiot.

Just minutes later, the door opened and Professor Oak stepped in, tired after a long day in the lab. He looked around, noticing that everyone had gotten themselves comfortable in his house. As usual.

He had to smile though. He did love having them around here, things were constantly changing.

Daisy and Liam were in the process of buying a property in Viridian City so they could settle down properly, yet still be in close distance to Pallet Town.

Gary's parents had said an emotional farewell again after the wedding, before continuing their journey around the world. Gary tried not to cry in front of Leaf, but it all proved too much. Leaf said she didn't mind, she rarely saw this side to him.

Professor Oak smiled fondly. Everyone was growing up so quickly...

"Hey Gramps!" Gary called out as he headed into the front room. He greeted them all, sitting down comfortably in his armchair.

Seconds later, Ash pointed at the screen. "Them!" he yelled.

"What the hell are you...Oh," Gary deadpanned as he realised.

His cheeks flushed red as he stared at the screen. He forgot the Sensational Sisters were the special guest performers tonight.

"Awww, Gary has a little crush on the Sensational Sisters!" Daisy teased, noticing the change in his face.

He turned even redder. "I do not!" he yelled back.

Maybe it was just a tiny fanboy-style crush, but the feelings he had for Leaf blew that out of the window completely.

He was desperate to see her again.

* * *

><p><strong>Ever Grande City - Hoenn<strong>

"Like, hey Misty! We missed you so much!"

Misty just stood, her eyebrows raised in shock as Daisy, Lily and Violet all fawned over her. She'd completely forgotten that her damn sisters were performing tonight. Lily noticed May in of the corner of her eye, and turned to her.

"Oh my God! You're the little country cutie who sang at Daisy Oak's wedding, right?"

"Uh... yeah I guess?" May replied, an awkward smile plastered to her face as Lily just talked and talked.

"Haven't you got somewhere to be?" Misty growled.

"Oh!" Violet jumped. "We have to go, come on!" The Sensational Sisters ran out of the room and Misty was quick to slam the door.

Leaf smiled fondly as Misty lolled against the door. "I don't see the problem Mist, they're a little odd but they seem really nice."

"They may _seem_ lovely but they're not. They're only sucking up to me because I'm on this show; if we left tonight then they'd start treating me like a pile of crap again. They're not genuine."

Leaf was surprised at how casual Misty was being about this.

The redhead smiled. "But whatever. I may have three biological bitches for siblings, but thanks to this show I've gained three _real_ sisters."

"Aw Mist!" Leaf giggled.

"That's cute," May laughed, but her attention was elsewhere. Dawn was sitting on the couch, shaking horribly. She'd been eerily silent all afternoon after finding out that her face was on the cover of every magazine.

May slid in the spot next to her and threw her arms around her comfortingly. "Dawn...I know you're hurting right now and I just want you to know that I'm here for you, no matter what anyone says."

"I know that, thank you May..." Dawn smiled brightly, desperately trying to blink back the tears that clouded her vision.

"Us too," Leaf spoke, glancing at Misty who nodded in confirmation. "We just have to get tonight over with and whatever happens, we'll deal with it. Just smile for the cameras and hold your head high."

"I will! I won't let them bring me down anymore," Dawn genuinely smiled. She was broken inside over Paul but right now she was running off complete motivation from her friends.

Crying could wait till later. After all, she couldn't allow Ursula to see her like this. Right now, she was going to go out there and face her demons. Dawn knew that she wasn't alone anymore, like she used to be all those years ago when Ursula singlehandedly turned the entire female population of Jubilife High against her. When the only friend she had was Lucas.

And just like that, it had happened again. Dawn's life was frantically spiralling to rock bottom, but this time she was clawing her way back before it was too late. Things were different now. She had her three best friends by her side and she knew they would defend her no matter what.

She couldn't ask for more than that.

_"And the first act to go through to next week's final and secure their place is..."_

The five acts stood side by side on the stage, each one of them ready for this.

Unfortunately, Tiger Rose had ended up standing next to Brendan, and May could feel his burning stare on her as the room fell silent, anticipating the answer.

"Ursula Urara!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as the peach haired girl smiled victoriously, hugging them all before running off stage. She embraced almost everyone except Dawn however, although the blunette had already seen this coming.

"So Ursula is our first contestant through to the final!" Marion exclaimed. "Now, the second contestant through to the SingOff finals is..."

The crowd was silent, hardly daring to breathe as they anticipated the rest of the results.

"Brendan Birch!"

May forced herself to keep her face straight as she pretended to be happy for him. She was praying that he'd be the one to leave the show, but now his torment was due to continue for another week.

But Brendan didn't just pass May on his way to backstage. He smirked before embracing her in his arms. She froze, eyes wide like a bunny caught in car headlights.

"Remember: keep your mouth shut or I'll do it for you. Good luck..." he murmured into her ear before swiftly kissing her cheek.

She watched, frozen in place as he sauntered off backstage with his hands in his pockets.

Leaf grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently, calming her down. The crowd fell silent once more. Two acts were through, one more was due to make it through while the final two battled it out in the Sing Off.

"Now...the final act to make it to the finals of SingOff 2013 is..."

May decided that she didn't care anymore. If they made it through, there would only be one week left on the show. If they went home, she'd never have to see Brendan again. Both options sounded good enough to her.

_"Tiger Rose!"_

May's lips formed an O shape in surprise, not quite believing what she just heard.

It all happened so quickly. She remembered Dawn almost collapsing on her before they headed off back stage. The blunette was almost certain that they wouldn't make it because of her recent publicity.

"So there you have it folks! We have three finalists through and two acts at war, it's Solidad vs Electric Heart! Who will win the final spot and who will fall at the last hurdle? Stay tuned to find out after this break!" Marion exclaimed.

The girls were ushered backstage, hearts beating wildly as they wondered whether to laugh or cry.

"I...I..." Leaf stuttered, her entire body shaking as she tried to recover from what just happened out there.

"We did it..." Dawn whispered. "How did we do it?!"

However, the blunette froze as she heard sarcastic applause from behind her. She turned around to see Ursula. The girl had a smug grin on her face.

"Congratulations on making it to the finals girls!" she smiled with fake enthusiasm. "Because you all deserve it _so_ much."

"Don't even start, Ursula!" Dawn growled, tears spiking at the corners of her eyes.

"God, I was kidding. Learn to take a joke," she sighed, rolled her eyes and picking at her nails.

"No you weren't," Misty stepped in. "Just lay off on the insults! We know you and Dawn go way back, but is being so horrible to her really the way forward? Can't you just let your petty hatred go?"

"I can't let it go," she simpered. "She stole the only person I ever loved, and I can't forgive her for that."

Dawn was raging. "Lucas broke up with you on his own terms. You split me and him up for your own entertainment! Oh I bet you're so happy that Paul and I split up too. In fact, I bet you had a part in it."

A lone figure who had been watching this drama from the sidelines finally decided to step in. "Nope. She had no part in this."

May scowled. "Like anyone would believe a cowardly liar like you, Brendan!"

He said nothing, just shaking his head with a smile. "May, stop involving yourself in everyone else's business just to get my attention. If you want me back, just say so _sweetheart_."

He was trying to mess with her head. "I wouldn't take you back even if you were the last human alive," she spat.

"Is that so?" he replied nonchalantly.

May said nothing, just glaring as she passed by him. The last thing she wanted to do was blurt something out about what he did.

Leaf quickly ran after her, followed by the others. The four of them headed back to the dressing room in silence, none of them knowing what to say to each other. Part of Leaf was so loved up over Gary, while the other part of her was shattered because of Brendan.

May was just broken, plain and simple. She needed Drew but of course, he wasn't here right now. Brendan's words played back in her head like a stuck record.

**_"Drew won't wait forever."_**

Misty was completely in the dark about almost everything, although she had a couple of secrets of her own that she hadn't told the rest of the girls. She didn't intend to tell them either.

Dawn..._well_. She'd lost so much during her time here but she wasn't going to cry about it just yet. That's what the long, dark nights were for.

None of the girls were happy, but they kept their emotions to themselves.

Kicking open the door to their dressing room, Misty headed inside. She seemed angrier than the others did, and they were hesitant to walk in after her.

"Mist?" Leaf spoke quietly.

Misty was lost in herself. She was pacing frantically around the dressing room, her fists clenched together. She was trying so hard to hold in her tears.

Then, she just stopped. She collapsed on the couch and burst into tears.

The girls just couldn't help but stare for a few painful seconds. Misty was the strong one in their little family, she was always the one comforting them after something had gone wrong.

Now, the tables had turned.

Leaf took a deep breath, before running inside and putting her arms around Misty. The redhead just cried harder, clinging onto Leaf like a baby monkey. May and Dawn joined Leaf in comforting Misty. All was quiet, just the sounds of Misty's cries as she let out years of pent up anger and tears.

Leaf shifted herself slightly on the couch and knocked the TV remote onto the floor, accidentally turning on the TV. They'd been watching SingOff from backstage earlier, so the channel came on immediately.

The four of them turned to look at the screen. Applause deafened the stadium as Solidad stood bravely on the stage, ready to sing for her place in the final.

(Who Knew - Pink)

**You took my hand**  
><strong>You showed me how<strong>  
><strong>You promised me you'd be around<strong>  
><strong>Uh huh<strong>  
><strong>That's right<strong>

The four of them just listened. Soaking up Solidad's words and realising how beautiful her voice really was.

**I took your words**  
><strong>And I believed<strong>  
><strong>In everything<strong>  
><strong>You said to me<strong>  
><strong>Yeah huh<strong>  
><strong>That's right<strong>

Those words seemed to puncture May in her already-crushed heart. It reminded her of how stupid she was with Brendan. She didn't appreciate Drew enough while he was here, and now he was gone.

**If someone said three years from now**  
><strong>You'd be long gone<strong>  
><strong>I'd stand up and punch them out<strong>  
><strong>Cause they're all wrong<strong>

These words almost killed Dawn inside. It was just like how she used to be with Lucas. She thought she'd be with him forever, a long time ago she had even thought about a possible future with him, but she gave it all up for Paul.

Now he was gone too.

**I know better**  
><strong>Cause you said forever<strong>  
><strong>And ever<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>

**Remember when we were such fools**  
><strong>And so convinced and just too cool<strong>  
><strong>Oh no<strong>  
><strong>No no<strong>

This stung Leaf. It reminded her of her childhood, her days of playing around with Gary and Ash. The days when she was happy.

That morning after when she had to break free of Gary's warm embrace and leave him just to come back here was the most painful thing she had ever done.

**I wish I could touch you again**  
><strong>I wish I could still call you friend<strong>  
><strong>I'd give anything<strong>

Misty lowered her head as she listened to these lyrics. She missed Ash so much, her sisters were just getting her down and her emotions were all over the place.

**When someone said count your blessings now**  
><strong>'fore they're long gone<strong>  
><strong>I guess I just didn't know how<strong>  
><strong>I was all wrong<strong>

**They knew better**  
><strong>Still you said forever<strong>  
><strong>And ever<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>

**Yeah yeah**  
><strong>I'll keep you locked in my head<strong>  
><strong>Until we meet again<strong>  
><strong>Until we<strong>  
><strong>Until we meet again<strong>

**And I won't forget you my friend**

_**...What happened?**_

**If someone said three years from now**  
><strong>You'd be long gone<strong>  
><strong>I'd stand up and punch them out<strong>  
><strong>Cause they're all wrong and<strong>  
><strong>That last kiss<strong>  
><strong>I'll cherish<strong>  
><strong>Until we meet again<strong>  
><strong>And time makes<strong>  
><strong>It harder<strong>  
><strong>I wish I could remember<strong>  
><strong>But I keep<strong>  
><strong>Your memory<strong>  
><strong>You visit me in my sleep<strong>  
><strong>My darling<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>

**My darling**  
><strong>My darling<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>  
><strong>My darling<strong>  
><strong>I miss you<strong>  
><strong>My darling<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>  
><strong>Who knew<strong>

Each of the girls wiped their tears away as the song came to a close. This simple song had tore at their emotions for their own personal reasons.

But the torment wasn't due to end here for anyone. It wasn't over, the upcoming future was beginning to cast a huge shadow over them.

Right now, the future of Midnight Run and the career of Tiger Rose depended on just one person.

And that person was _Drew_.

* * *

><p><strong>LaRousse City - Hoenn<strong>

"I'm home," a sleepy voice echoed throughout the lonesome hallway.

It was 9pm and Drew had just gotten home from his newly acquired part-time job. He had to help pay the bills somehow, and one of the perks of being on SingOff meant recognition. He was snatched up almost immediately.

His stomach was growling for food but he ignored it. Something was wrong right now - this house was far too quiet.

"Lia? Mom?" he called out.

He received no answer, but when he looked up he could see a tiny figure hurtling herself down the stairs and into his arms.

"Li? What's the ma-"

Drew stopped mid-sentence as he realised that she was crying.

"What's wrong?" he held his sister close.

"M...Mommy's scaring me. I waited and waited for you to come home and I thought you never would!" she cried.

Lia actually thought this? Drew was suddenly feeling a wave of rage for his mother for allowing Lia to feel scared like this. "Where's Mom?"

"She's in there..." she trailed off, gesturing to the front room.

Drew wasted no time in flinging the door open, but he hadn't expected to see his mother in such a damn state.

She was lying on the couch, empty bottles of alcohol strewn all over the floor around her. The bottle she was currently holding was almost empty too.

Drew just stared at her in shock. "M...Mom?" he stuttered.

Yes, she liked to have a drink or two sometimes but this wasn't like anything he'd seen before.

If he didn't know her, he would have assumed she was an alcoholic.

"Ah..._Andrew!_" she slurred.

Drew absolutely hated talking to intoxicated people but he had to hold in his anger for now. "What's going on?" he asked calmly.

"You know...the usual _sweetie_," she spoke in a sarcastic slur, ending with a pitchy laugh.

_"Mommy..."_

Drew turned around to see Lia in the doorway. Her eyes were wide with fright and confusion.

"Go to your room Li," Drew muttered.

"But I-"

"Just go! Please..." he begged.

Lia was even more scared. Drew had always been able to protect her but now he was looking like he needed to be protected himself.

She nodded feebly, before running upstairs and burying herself inside her bed.

She just wanted this to go away. Lia wanted things to go back how they were, but not even the plea's of a six year old girl could change anything.

Drew angrily turned to his mother. "Don't you fucking dare talk to me like that! Now tell me what happened."

He'd never swore at her before, and he hoped he wouldn't have to again.

Her face darkened. "I..." the facade of humour she had built up around her was beginning to fade. "I I...lost my job today! Alright?!"

Time just seemed to slow completely. Drew had to lean on the wall to stop his knees from giving way.

"No..." he shook his head. "You can't have! How?!"

He was shaking. His family needed the income from that job to get by, and now it had cut completely.

"The company had to ma..make some cuts, and I was one of them! Ha!"

His mom had worked as a sales manager in a large company. The pay wasn't anything spectacular, but it was enough put some aside for other things as well as putting food on the table.

She needed that job, they all relied on the income. Now it was gone.

"No, this isn't the answer!" Drew yelled. "Getting drunk is only going to make things worse, you're pathetic!"

"Everything I ever wanted in life is gone!" she yelled back at him. "We're completely broke; your dad left me when I was pregnant with Liana and I don't think I can carry on like this Drew!"

"You are so selfish!" he growled, his eyes sparking with rage. "You're just going to give up on us? You have a six year old little girl crying her eyes out upstairs, she needs you right now mom! You were never there for her when she needed you, it's always me who has to go and comfort her! Where were you all those times when she needed you?!"

She was shocked, tears pouring down her cheeks as Drew near-enough screamed at her.

"I...I just-"

"Maybe dad made the right decision when he left you," he spat.

"Drew...p...please wait!" she cried desperately.

He ignored her, leaving the room and slamming the door behind him. She was 35, not 17. She needed to grow up and take some damn responsibility for herself and for her family.

He then headed upstairs, quietly opening the door to Lia's room. His heart shattered as he saw his sister curled up under her covers, sobbing quietly. She didn't understand what was going on.

"Li, it's me," he spoke quietly.

She meekly pulled her head above the covers. "Drewy..." she whispered, "What's happening..?"

He sat down in front of her and held open his arms. She leapt at him, clinging on to him like he was the only thing she had left.

Well, now he was the only thing she had left.

"You're a big girl now, right?" he asked.

"Y...yeah..." she answered, her big innocent eyes red with tears.

"Then please don't cry anymore. We can fix this, I promise," he murmured.

"But what about Mommy..." she whispered.

"I...I don't know Li."

Drew just couldn't lie to her anymore. He didn't know what to do.

If she carried on spiralling into depression like this; or if she was unable to get a proper job to support them, then Lia could be easily taken off her and placed into care. Drew wasn't an issue as he was 17 and able to take care of himself, but Lia was a huge concern.

Drew knew that he would rather die than have his little sister be taken away from him. They'd put her in a strange care home full of unruly kids and she'd hate it, he knew she would. He couldn't afford to let it happen.

The tears he'd been holding in for so long managed to escape the brim of his eyes.

Everything was going wrong. His family was broken beyond repair and his dad left them all those years ago, for a particular reason that Drew still didn't know about even now. It wasn't Lia's fault, there had to be something else there.

His mother never had it easy either, having to bring up two children on her own. That's why Drew always tried to help out in caring for Lia as he grew older. His mom was never truly grateful, but he did it anyway.

He loved them both. Besides their obvious flaws, they were still a family.

Drew then thought about the other woman in his life. She didn't have it easy either; right now May was stuck living with the man who had used her as a stepping stone in his career and then tried to shut her up in the worst way possible. He wanted her here with him. He wanted to taste her lips again and hold her petite body in his arms.

All he wanted was happiness for all the people he loved, but he couldn't even do that. He felt like such a failure.

Whatever he did, it was _never_ going to be good enough.

* * *

><p>Authors Note: I'll confess, I finished this a while ago but I was too lazy to do the replies. ^^ Luckily for you guys though, I'm in the middle of the next chapter already so that should be up soon too!<p>

Thank you so so so much for all your encouraging words in your reviews! I wasn't in a good place when I updated that last chapter but ever since then, things have been slowly starting to look up for me :)

I finished school forever last week and _that_ was an emotional, yet amazing day :') But then on Saturday, my friend managed to get us standing tickets for One Direction's stadium tour! I almost cried, I'm going to see my babies again!

So yeah :) Review if you want, I don't mind but it really does make me happy whenever I get a review email in my inbox. I never thought that this story would ever get so far, so thank you all again. I'm more than halfway to 700 already, this is amazing!

I love you all, and thank you :)

-Tay

P.S: I'm actually a Palletshipper and I just couldn't help but throw in a tiny, tiny bit of Palletshipping there at the start xD


	32. Chapter 32: Carnival Blues

Ya so all the things I have to say are at the bottom of this chapter so enjoy!

Review thingys:

**Kaurz9802** - hello friend! wow I haven't spoken to you in forever :( (life really does get in the way) and we really need to catch up asap, I'll PM you back soon I promise! ^_^ NNNNG no, you're the flawless one here not me! You're way too cute and nice and you're so lovely! I admit that lately I've had thoughts about leaving ff altogether but because of you I don't think I can even I wanted to xD Now I'm just trying to get back into it really, starting with this update. Omg it's not perfect! Nonono! I need to go over this whole story and read over my embarrassing crap from two years ago but I don't want to do it (hides) I mean come on, who doesn't like a bit of Palletshipping bromance there? ;) I've become even more of a yaoi freak over the summer and I blame Free! and Utapri for everything. I also blame Gray and Natsu for being so damn shippable. (Although I'm still Nalu Jerza Gruvia Gale etc) Awwww ikr I love writing the Kanto parts of this story because everyone's so chill and Professor Oak and aw. I love Misty yet I can be very mean to her... I know oh my god I love it when everyone has their own problems, yet Brendan seems to be at the centre of it all and I just kinda omg. I like scandals ok and I want readers to be like oH SHIIIIIIT when something happens like that's my goal. God I know, Ursula holds the biggest grudge in the world lemme tell u now and idk I love writing for Brendan because he's so creepy and manipulative and ooooh it's really fun. Oh yes - more drama is definitely on the way. I'm already like 1/3 of the way through chapter 33 and it's like ommmmg. This one is also quite drama-y. I know omfg I love writing about Drew's tragically angsty life and I don't know why! There's more in this chapter too and nnnng. Protective and father-like Drew is my favourite Drew. He's so lovely now, I can't believe I made him into such a douche at the start but I guess you could call it long term character development. Awww omg okay things are definitely looking up, I can't remember for the life of me what I told you on my last PM but I'm just really content with everything right now. oh my god, Natsu and Gray. We have a lot of Fairy Tail manga things to talk about, that's for sure. Damnnnn youuuuu you haven't updated Cyber Cinderella! I miss it! (Although I can't talk, it took me three months to update this and now I have many replies to do .) AWWW OKAY, I LOVE YOU AND WE'LL CATCH UP PROPERLY SOON OKAY, THAT'S A PROMISE!

Love ya, you Gray lovin' cutie.

This is probably the longest reply in the history of my replies I think oh my go d.

**Level X** - oh my god yay, arigatou! I love you too okay. The palletshipping yes we have the same mind, oh my god in that situation I just couldn't not add it in there, I like yaoi a lot okay! Although I made it very bromancy because it's cuter that way. Pfft I ramble all the time don't worry about it. Omfg yes that's an idea, I need to do some Paul things soon in this story, that sounds weird I'm not very good at phrasing things gomen. I hope you like the chapter!

**Lillian11** - yes I agree ;_; bad things always happen to those who deserve it least, right? I'm not entirely sure how I'm going to end this exactly but I have a rough idea... ^^' well let's just say the drama continues from here... Oh my god, Fairy Tail (insert heart emoji here) LITTLE NATSU AND GRAY AND ERZA OH GOD THE CUTE. THE CUUUUUTE. I'm very interested to see what Minerva's intentions are. YAAAAY! I'll reply to your PM soon I promise you, I've been very busy lately and also procrastinating from fanfiction xD I'm a bad person sometimes... Enjoy the chap though x3

**misskikimarie** - awww he really has! I just like him playing the protective older brother figure omg it's so cute. Despite the sadness of the situation though. Oh my god thank you so much okay, I hope you like this very long overdue update! ily.

**Cutiepiepo2** - I KNOW RIGHT LIKE JELLAL WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I nearly screamed when he pulled away I swear -.- hopeless... Omg you should! I can be very late with replies but I'll always try! Omg that's so sweet! Although no one should ever call you ugly because you are nOT, okay. Oh and try not to get too into the shipping thing (it hurts sometimes xD) OH MY GOD THATS SO CUTE I LOVE YOU ;_; NONO IM CRY THAT MADE ME SO HAPPY THANK YOU SERIOUSLY. You're amazing.

**Eeveexme** - Awww I know! I feel so mean on them but it's part of the story xD can't be helped. Hehe I loved that, Gary's always thinking about Leafy.

**drewXhayden** - aw I know, I put a lot of emotion into the part with Drew in the last chapter haha, it makes things more interesting :)

**Redlamp and Nelsoph** - um yeaa it does xD Hmmm now that would be a plot twist wouldn't it, omg. Enjoy!

**idiot .net** - um well I'm sorry about that but I had definite writers block with this chapter and I refuse to post something that I don't feel happy with. please don't yell at me to update because it doesn't help ^^

**CierraTheAlaskanDragonSlayer** - I will give her one at some point, but it needs to be relevant to the plot at that time, like with Veronica's backstory coming after Leaf seeing Brendan and Brianna together, etc. There will be a sequel remember so I have a lot to time to bring that back xD Pfffft, you and your Gray-sama. I personally think he's been a bit of a tsundere douche lately especially with Juvia but then he turned into a kid and I was like d'awwww sweetie pie lemme love u. I don't know how I do it either xD If I'm not motivated, then everything just comes to a stop and it's like ughhhhhh I need to update but I don't want to do the thing. I love them all too, but Towa no Kizuna, Fiesta and Snow Fairy are my fave openings, and Gomen ne Watashi, Glitter and Be As One are my fave endings ^_^ Nah I totes love you more girl. Awwww arigatou, CeeCee-chan! That was so sweet x3 Ohmygod I don't really have ways I just kinda go into the chapter blind and see what I come out with ^^' omg I'm sorry for the extremely long wait but I hope you like this! Ya, I'm secretly Bunny Girl, don't tell anyone now xD

**jayfeather12345** - sorry for the long wait my friend but please enjoy this chapter! ^_^

**malory79080** - Yeaaaaah! Hehe, I love Natsu and Gray's little arguments and their rivalry thing that they've got going on, kyaaaa! Awww I know, I still can't quite believe I broke them up ^^' And the whole Drew thing is a complete mess as well xD Jeeeeez I over complicate everything. OMG THANK YOU VERY MUCH OK! Enjoy the chap!

**pikachushinystar** - hmmm ok, you should let me know it's you so I know who I'm replying to though :D haha thank you, it's okay we all post an 'update soon!' at the end of reviews don't we? It's just a thing that we all do and dont even realise half the time xD Please enjoy the chapter!

**Pok3monTrain3erBlu3** - YAY! That's exactly what I was aiming for with that part and thank goodness it turned out okay! Hehe, but if they didn't make it then there would be no dramaaaa! Aw it's okay, I appreciate every one of you reviewers because you're all my favourite people and I love you all. Haha! Hope you like this one.

**Poketornariswim** - AW THANK YOU THAT WAS SO NICE! Omg I'm so happy now eeeee! I've actually considered this song already (I do like that song a lot) and it may be included so thank you. Haha you'll find out! Aw I really hope you enjoy this next chapter!

**SpecialxGirl** - yes I know :( it's hard to get the shippings in when distance is involved ^_^ I didn't forget about Paul, I'm waiting to add him in when it's relevant for him otherwise it's pointless. ah no worries, reviews both long and short mean a hell of a lot to me! Thank you!

**SpaztasticStella** - Haha yes! Exactly what I was aiming for too so that's a relief ^_^ awwww! That's so sweet, I'm so happy you're enjoying this story and I hope this chappy is just as good!

**ImperfectWonderland** - omg thank you girl I'm cry, ilysm ^_^ gahhhhh it's really not lmao I try but thank you anyway seriously :) sorry about the lack of update too but I hope you like this chap!

**Gloss Gurl** - awww ikr I love the bromancy shit between those two :):) I know omfg I'm so mean to him and it doesn't stop there ^^' hope you like it!

**eeveeluvr** - ah it's okay! AHHHH I KNOW POOR DREW IM SO MEAN I KNOW Dx but I think I like bringing out his brotherly side uwu heeeeee palletshipping

**Anon** - SHRIEKS OMG THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING THE WHOLE THING, like that was so sweet of you! I'm so glad you like my story and please enjoy this next chapter :)

**Latios** - Awwww omg thank you! ahaha I know, sorry about that ^^' Hope you like this chapter and sorry for the wait too really :)

**Missy** - woooow it's been a while, nice to see you again! BRENDAN GERMS I'M HOWLING SERIOUSLY, it's so true though he's just u gh. And I just love writing about the Drew situation for some reason? Idk perhaps I just like bringing out his cute brotherly side when Lia is involved heeeee. Hmmm now about that story, I'm not sure I will because I've started writing a new story alongside this and Codename Kitty and there's a lot to do soooo I guess I'll see about that. Aw thank you so much!

**hikaaxrii** - thanks a lot! c: haha I love oldrival too, they're adorable together. I still can't believe I sent them home in the end xD

**Fprmr1** - nonono it's okay! Honestly I'm finding it hard to make time for fanfiction nowadays and I don't read and review fics half as much as I used to either Dx I'm not sure if putting the guys back on the show is the best thing to do but I definitely have huge plans for them (I cannot wait) so look out for it! Omg thank you so much c:

**Guest** - haha I did! I hope you like it too :)

**Nicole** - thanks so much, I try my best ^_^ awwww that's so cute I could hug you! I usually always reply and when I do I reply to everyone! It's just the nice thing to do really. Hmmm well they made it to the finals so there won't be long left now! I can't specify exactly how many chapters though because I'm not sure myself lmao. P.S: Palletshipping ftw! c;

**Guest** - aw thank you very much! Hehe here's the next chapter so enjoy!

**Pokemonlover89** - awww that's so sweet x3 haha I have no idea what I'm doing with those two right now so we'll just have to wait and see I guess. I know right, all of us can relate to Emmy in some way, she's just great.

**videogamenerd101** - okay so where do I even begin with this xD firstly thank you for all the advice and criticism (I'll refer back to it when I come to rewrite this story, or at least the beginning of it anyway) so yes omfg thank you! NONONO IT'S OKAY, trust me I don't mind, after reading the first review and you mentioned your fic, I was like yes I need to check this out...but I still haven't done it yet and I'm just like oh. (This summer has gone by far too quickly) Haha and with the X factor thing, well a few years ago the show used to be good but it's gone really downhill lately...it starts again tonight actually so I'm holding on to the hope that it's actually going to be good but we'll see xD I'll check out your fic as soon as I can but I start college next week (cries) so ill see what I can do! :)

**LillieGhoul** - haha awww.

**mayeevee** - aaaaah that's so sweet! Thank you so much! Please enjoy this chapter!

**liv2laugh00** - hey! Eh it's fine don't worry about it :) Woah you reread the whole thing? Even I haven't done that yet ^^' I KNOW I SAID I WOULD BUT I GOT REALLY BAD WRITERS BLOCK AND YEAH :( Ahhhhh I hope you like the chapter though!

**Shaymin33starphoenix** - haha thanks for those reviews! Yeaaaah I know, I like being unpredictable with this story, and there are still twists and turns to come yaaaay :) awww please enjoy this next chap okay

**BeautifulyBrokenAuthor** - haha I know xD I like to think I'm sneaky you see. Yayay thank you! Omg really that's so cool eeeeeek!

**Mimi-Kiki-Dits** - awww yay thank you very much okay I love you a lot. Pffft no way! It's not thAT good xD Ooooooh really? I'll put it on my fanfiction list of things to do and hopefully I can get round to it soon! I have so many stories to review...sigh. Haha you tend to find that the more you write, the better you become and the more experience you gain! Or at least that's how thins turned out for me anyway :3

Phew so that's all of them...I hope I didn't miss anyone out and if I did then I'm so sorry ^^'

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> yooo I don't own this

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><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 32: Carnival Blues**

**...**

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><p>Sunday was over and done with before anyone had a chance to even think about the events that occurred. Electric Heart were eliminated from the competition, beaten by Solidad and her beautiful voice.<p>

The girls of Tiger Rose said a tearful goodbye to Melody before she left, as they'd all become rather close with her, despite past events. Veronica left without saying goodbye to anyone and Leaf watched her with curiosity. She was so upset, yet Brianna couldn't even see it. No, she was too busy out-right flirting with Brendan to even notice the presence of the saddened blonde girl.

May watched both Brianna and Brendan with disgust. _They deserve each other_, she thought.

The house was so quiet. It was only Ursula, Brendan, Solidad and the girls left. The three solo artists liked to keep to themselves, leaving the girls to their own devices.

Although, they were more than happy with that. Dawn decided that she had to come to terms with what had happened and she always tried to smile, despite her crushed feelings.

Misty then walked into the room, her hand on her hip. It was strange recalling her tiny breakdown just yesterday, it was almost as if it didn't happen.

"Guys, you know what we need?" she spoke.

"What?" May answered with a mouthful of cereal. Dawn giggled.

"We have to get out of this house for a while," Misty replied. May nodded immediately, any chance she had to get away from Brendan was one worth taking.

"But where should we go?" Leaf asked, downing a glass of water along with her paracetamol. She had awful stomach cramps.

"Let's go out and actually have some fun today," Dawn spoke, eager to take her mind off Paul for a little while. "I heard from Sol that the Carnival's in Mossdeep City right now and that's only 20 minutes by boat from here. Let's go there!"

"We need permission from Dexter first," Misty shrugged, taking out her phone. "But I'm sure he'll be okay with it."

May smiled brightly, she hadn't been this excited for something in a long time. "I'm going to go and get ready," she announced, leaving her bowl on the table and darting upstairs to change. Today could have easily been passed off as a heatwave, it was so hot. Half an hour later, the girls were a flurry of shorts, tank tops and smiles. May wore a tiny straw hat on her head, deciding to leave the bandanna behind for today.

"You look so pretty May!" Leaf cooed as May stepped out into the hallway.

"Thanks!" she beamed, her smile as bright as the sun outside.

Dawn was unbearably hot and they hadn't even left the house yet. Sinnoh was the coldest region in the world as it rained and snowed all year round, while Hoenn was the complete opposite. Her porcelain skin wasn't meant for this kind of heat, but she wanted to enjoy it while she could.

Misty stabbed at the end call button on her phone, shoving it back into her pocket. "He said we can go!" she grinned. "And maybe we'll get song inspiration out of this day too."

"Who knows what might happen?" Leaf smiled, stepping out of the door into the blazing sunlight.

Ever Grande really was a beautiful island, nourished with flowers and plants. The aroma of sea salt drifted through the island breeze.

May glanced up at Dawn, this was exactly what the blunette needed, a trip to take her mind off her relationship problems.

She seemed happier right now too, her eyes glittered in the sun as she basked in the light.

"We should get food soon too, I'm starving..." May announced.

"You just had breakfast! Don't be a glutton," Misty sighed.

"Food is very important, actually," she argued.

"But not sweets that are going to rot your teeth," Dawn chipped in. "I know you, May."

The lighter brunette rolled her eyes, although she had a huge smile on her face. She hadn't seen her friends smile so much since the day they were reunited at Daisy's wedding.

She wished that she could have this moment forever.

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><p><strong>LaRousse City - Hoenn<strong>

Drew opened his eyes to a dull, dark room, his head pounding. He hadn't had any longer than four hours of sleep and his whole body was aching.

His alarm clock read exactly 7:13am. He knew his mom was going to have a stinking hangover, so she probably wasn't fit to take Lia to school.

He forced himself out of bed, taking a look at himself in the mirror. His eyes were tired and sad, a monotone expression stuck to his face. He'd changed so much; just a few months ago he was egoistic, happy and shining on national TV for the whole world to see, with three other guys he had found actual friends in.

His guitar, singing voice and good looks brought him so much promise for the future. Although he took his chance for granted, toying with Brianna and fighting with May instead of concentrating on what was really in front of him.

Now he was a broken mess, constantly worrying about others and failing to see the damage it was causing to his own health and wellbeing.

He walked into Lia's room to see her curled up under the covers like a tiny angel. Drew didn't want to wake her up but he knew he had to, they had to try and carry on as normal for now.

"Li," he whispered, gently shaking her shoulder.

She made a light groaning sound, before sleepily opening one eye. "I don't wanna go to school today, big brother..." she muttered.

"You have to," he smiled gently. "Come on Lia, be a good girl now."

"But Monday is bad..." she whined, snuggling even deeper into her bed.

"If you don't get out of bed, I'll have to throw Happy in the trash," he smirked, swiping the Fairy Tail plush doll from her bed.

"No! Not Happy!" she squeaked, stumbling out of bed and grabbing the blue cat toy from him, cuddling it. Emmy really had gotten Lia obsessed with that series.

"There, you're out of bed. Now get ready for school," he pet her on the head and headed for the stairs.

Lia stared after him as he left, clutching the toy cat tightly. "Drewy..." she muttered, sensing the negative aura around him.

He looked so sad but she didn't know why. She just wanted him to be happy. There were many things that Liana Hayden didn't know and although Drew loved her, she wasn't old enough to understand what was going through his mind.

It was something a six year old girl just couldn't comprehend.

Even Drew himself couldn't deal with it. He walked into the kitchen, his bare chest feeling the coolness of the room. His mind was full of scenarios of what could happen regarding his family, and he was also worrying about May. His head was killing him this morning.

"Nothing ever works out for me..." he muttered.

Was this some kind of karma for his behaviour on the show? Because if it was, he knew he deserved it.

But Lia didn't. That little girl deserved a happy childhood, she shouldn't have had to see her mother like that.

She should've had a dad, the kind of dad who looks out and cares for his little girl, not a scumbag who leaves his loving family for another woman. After that fateful day, he never came back.

Drew shut his eyes for a moment as he remembered all the arguments; the yelling and all the pain and suffering they had to go through because of HIM.

Drew could never forgive his father for what he did. His selfishness cast a spell of doom upon them all. They couldn't get out of it, things were getting worse.

Really, it was only a matter of time until everything Drew had known and come to love, would disappear forever.

The situation was just so bitter.

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><p><strong>Mossdeep City - Hoenn<strong>

"Kyaaaa! This place is beautiful," Dawn squealed as she looked around at we surroundings.

There were various carnival-like stalls with games to win prizes, and others selling all kinds of things. A huge roller coaster stood tall near the back of the fair and other rides like the Ferris wheel, the spinning teacups, the bumper cars and the carousel livened the place up completely.

"So what do we do first?" Leaf asked, her eye on one of the stalls - specifically on the prize of this particular stall.

All around the five regions, a franchise called Pokemon had become a huge success with children of all ages. Leaf had her eye on the huge Eevee doll they were giving away as a prize.

She turned around to see what they wanted to do, but they'd already gone. Misty had just made a beeline for the roller coaster and Dawn and May were running for one of the other rides.

"Thanks guys..." she muttered before heading for the stall. She wanted that damn plush toy.

"I am going to kick your ass May!" Dawn announced excitedly as they queued for the bumper cars.

"Now that's where you're wrong," May giggled as a reply. She wasn't going to hold back.

Upon hearing their voices, two girls in front of them turned around in surprise.

"W...wow! You're May and Dawn from Tiger Rose, right?!" One of them exclaimed, completely starstruck.

They both giggled. "Yes we are," Dawn spoke, a smile on her face.

"Can we get a picture with you two? We're huge fans of your group!"

"Sure thing!" May replied, unsure of whether to feel honoured or bewildered by this.

Quickly, the news spread across the park that SingOff's Tiger Rose were here so Dawn and May's bumper car game was put to an abrupt hold for the moment.

"Do you think Misty and Leaf are okay?" May whispered to Dawn after taking yet another picture with fans, "I mean, we kind of ran off on them..."

"Psh, they'll be fine!" Dawn smiled brightly, adoring every second of the attention from their fans. She appreciated them so much because without them, Tiger Rose would never have come this far.

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><p>Locking on her target, Leaf glared ahead of her as she gripped on to the plastic ring she was holding.<p>

She just had to throw a ring around all five of the pegs for the Eevee plushie, easy right?

Wrong. Today, Leaf had discovered how terrible her hand-eye coordination really was and this game was frustrating her to no end.

"Damn it all!" she growled furiously as she missed every single shot. Was she really this bad?

"Need a hand?"

Leaf turned around to see a guy around the same age as herself standing behind her. He was tall, blonde haired and blue eyed; complete with an amused smile about the situation at hand.

Her hand clenched tighter around the ring. "No, I can do it myself."

"You're handing the dude money on a plate."

She froze, casting her eyes to the rather large pile of coins she had been throwing at the guy running this stall. Leaf, being as stubborn as she was, refused to give up.

"I...I just really want the plushie..." she muttered.

"Then I'll save you the trouble," he replied, turning to the guy running the stall and handing him some money.

He sighed, handing over five coloured rings.

Leaf watched in awe as he carefully tossed the hoops around each of the five pegs. He made it look so effortless...

"Thank you so much..." Leaf muttered as he handed her the large Eevee doll, unsure of what to say after her rudeness just before. He did catch her smile though.

"Don't worry about it," he replied. He was about to walk away but he stopped, looking back at her curiously. "So what are you doing here by yourself?" he asked.

"Oh...well I was with my friends but they sorta' ran off on me, you know? I had to make entertainment somehow..." she smiled, flicking her bangs out of her face.

"Same here actually," he replied, "Apparently, some hot-shot girl band from that singing show are here today so they went off to find them."

Leaf forced herself to keep her composure. "Oh...really?" she replied casually. "Why didn't you go with them?"

He shrugged. "I don't watch the show so I couldn't care less."

She smiled at how down-to-earth this guy really was. It was nice to have a total stranger see her as a normal girl for once rather than Leaf Green, the girl in Tiger Rose.

"I see." Leaf hugged her plushie tighter. "Thanks again, but I really need to look for my friends now," she smiled.

He nodded. "It was nothing...see you around."

She began to walk away again, before a thought struck her. "Hey, wait a second!" she called out. "What's your name..?"

"I'm Taylor," he replied. "Yourself?"

"Leaf," she smiled back. "It's nice to meet you."

"Where the hell did they go..?" Misty muttered, scanning her eyes around the park for any signs of her friends. She'd ran off to the roller coaster on impulse, and although it was a pretty good ride, she'd lost track of the others in the process.

The redhead sighed, irritated, before sitting down on a nearby bench. She wiped the beads of sweat off of her forehead before fishing around in her bag for her phone.

"H...hey...you're...you..."

Misty looked up at the figure standing in front of her. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"You're Misty...Misty...it's really you!"

Misty stared dumbfounded at the man standing in front of her, he was almost quivering in his spot. He looked pretty young, with tousled-looking brown hair along with a bit of a babyface. He was definitely good-looking but the look of adoration on his face was beginning to piss her off. He looked like a needy puppy.

"Yeah..." she replied, unsure of what to say.

"I...I'm a huge fan of you and your group! But I...you...you're my favourite, Misty! I c...can't believe you're standing here...right in front of me!"

"I'm not standing I'm sitting, and can you please keep your voice down?!" Misty hissed, "I don't want to cause a commotion..."

"You're really...really beautiful..."

A feeling of uncertainty arose in her stomach. "Th...thank you..." she murmured, wishing he would just leave her alone. She didn't like receiving this kind of attention from somebody who wasn't Ash. "Now I _really_ have to get going-"

"Wait!" he cried, grabbing her arm as she tried to leave.

"Get off me!" she yelled.

"So violent...that look in your eyes says it all! I'm in love with you, Misty Waterflower!"

Misty decided to put the formal front aside. This wasn't just a fan, this guy had convinced himself that he was in love with her.

"I don't know who you are, and I have a boyfriend! You're not in love with me, don't say that!"

"Ash doesn't deserve somebody as perfect and beautiful as you! I love you, I-"

"Hey, is that Misty Waterflower?"

"It's true! Oh my god, Tiger Rose really _are_ here!"

Shit! Misty thought, trying to look for a way out of this. She looked back at him.

"I love Ash," Misty simply stated. "That's all there is to it, now please leave me alone!"

"That lucky fucking bastard!" he growled. "He stole the only woman I ever loved!"

This was beginning to attract attention from other people and Misty knew she had to get away now, but was there any way?

"Hey! Misty!"

The redhead looked to the side to see Leaf running to her rescue, a man by her side.

"He...he won't leave me alone!" Misty hissed, glaring at him.

"Get the fuck away from my best friend," Leaf glared at him, grabbing Misty's wrist and standing in front of her.

"L...Leaf too? God, you girls are so hot up close...but my heart belongs to Misty! I won't let you tear us apart!"

Misty's face grew red out of pure embarrassment. Usually, she was the kind to yell her way out of the situation but this was really getting to her. She was in shock.

"You fucking creep!" Leaf yelled. "You're scaring her!"

Taylor, who was standing by and watching the situation unfold had finally figured out what was going on.

He knew he had to do something. "Hey, why don't you just leave her alone..." he spoke, deciding on a gentle approach.

The stalker laughed. "And who the hell are you?"

"What does that matter?" Taylor muttered angrily. "She doesn't want you! Leave!"

"I'm calling the police," Leaf spoke, getting out her phone.

"No, don't do that!" Misty yelled.

"One day, you will be mine...you will..." the stalker muttered before running away from the scene entirely.

"Mist!" Leaf yelped, engaging her best friend in a tight embrace. "Are you okay..?"

"I'm fine..." she tried to utter out but she was having trouble finding her words.

"He'll never bother you again, I promise!" Leaf whispered soothingly.

"I...want to go. Tell May and Dawn to stay if they want, but I want to go back. Right now."

Leaf knew that she was holding in her tears. "I'll come with you," she smiled.

She then turned to Taylor, a sheepish look on her face. "I...I'm sorry. I never told you who I really was..."

"That doesn't matter," he shrugged. "As long as your friend is okay..."

He just couldn't believe that the girl he'd been speaking to was actually a famous celebrity. He never would have guessed that such a normal-looking girl was a member of this girl band his friends were so desperate to catch a glimpse of.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully. "For the plushie too."

"Don't mention it. It was nice meeting you," he smiled, before turning around and walking towards what Leaf assumed to be his friends. They must have gathered in the crowd during all that commotion.

"I just messaged May and Dawn, but they want to come home with us. May said to meet at the entrance."

Misty nodded, grateful for Leaf's help. This was a real eye-opener for her, but she felt sick with the feeling that somebody had become so obsessed with her, they confessed their love for her, right there.

The only one she loved was Ash. He was all she wanted, yet he wasn't here. He was all she could think about, and she just wanted to be back in his arms again.

To Misty, nothing else mattered.

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><p><strong>Authors Note:<strong> I am sosososo sorry about the lack of update! Nearly three months...wow. I promise I won't do that again, but writers block really got me this time ^^' I'm still struggling with Codename Kitty...

So ya, anime and Dangan Ronpa have pretty much taken over my life. Ooooh and speaking of Dangan Ronpa, I've started a new fic based on it and it's called Kalos Academy: Faith and Fear. Please check it out, and I'll love you forever, I promise you it's going to be one of my best stories yet ^_^

And thank you so much for your patience! This has been half finished for months now and I just decided to get it finished today and omg. 85 reviews, that's the most I've ever had like ever so thank you so much okay! I appreciate every response I get, and if it weren't for all of you then I would never have gotten motivated to finish this, arigatou gozaimasu! I rushed the editing part a little so feel free to point out mistakes if you see any :)

Review so I can update soon!

Love Tay.


	33. Chapter 33: Distance

Long time no see. ^^' I'm not replying to reviews because it would take an incredibly long time to do so, and since half of them aren't even related to the previous chapter, I decided to skip out. Please enjoy this chapter, even though it's not the best thing I've ever written. I just wanted to get something out to those who have waited and waited for this, thank you!

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><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 33: Distance**

**...**

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><p>PREVIOUSLY:<p>

The girls of Tiger Rose attended a carnival, which ended up with Misty having to turn down a terrifying confession from a stalker.

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><p>"Are you sure you're okay, Misty?"<p>

The orange haired girl smiled; despite hints of uncertainty on her face. "Yeah, of course. It'll take a lot more than some stupid stalker to get to me, after all."

"If you're sure," Dawn smiled, putting her arm around her shoulders.

"I am." It had been a few hours since the incident at the Carnival and the three girls were still concerned about Misty. She kept on insisting that she was okay, but Leaf just wasn't sure that she was. The look in her eyes as that man confessed his love for her in such a way was something that she would never forget, but she decided to let it drop for now. Misty probably just wanted to forget about it.

Leaf felt her phone vibrate on the table, and she smiled as she cast her eyes to it. Gary had sent her a message.

**_Hey_**

Usually, a warm glow would creep up inside Leaf every time Gary sent her a text, but something seemed a little...off about this message.

"Is that Gare?" Dawn asked, a knowing smile upon her face.

"Yeah..." Leaf replied, her voice quiet. She began to tap a reply to him, but the message she received back was far from what she had been expecting to hear.

**_What happened at that Carnival today_**

Her eyes widened; how the hell did he know she was there? She stabbed at the Home button, before calling him right away. He picked up after two rings.

"How do you know something happened?" she asked straight away.

"It's all over Twitter, I-"

"What? How has this happened already?!" she protested, sounding like a little kid.

"People who were there have been talking about it and word gets around easily these days, you know. You're famous now."

Leaf couldn't help but feel a tinge of hostility from Gary. "What exactly have they been talking about?" she asked.

He didn't say anything. Something was wrong with Gary, he was giving her the cold shoulder. Leaf soon realised - this couldn't have been about Misty's stalker.

"Hey, what's up with you?"

The other girls looked at Leaf with confusion and concern written all over their faces.

"Leaf...Who was that guy you were with?"

Leaf froze, a look of uncertainty on her face. "Taylor? He just helped me out with that guy who was bothering Misty-"

"Bullshit."

Tears of sudden anger dared to prick at her eyes, as the reality of Gary's harsh tone washed over her.

"You're being unreasonable! What, am I not allowed to even talk to other guys without your permission?!"

"I saw that picture of you and him getting all cosy at that stall together! What are you doing with a guy you don't even know?!"

Leaf was beyond enraged by this point; Gary had no right to be acting this way. "He was just some guy I met and he helped me out on one of the stalls! You need to back off a little!"

Gary knew how angry she was on the other end of the phone but he was past the point of backing down. While she had been talking to him, she'd logged on to Twitter on the laptop, and then she saw it. The reason why Gary was so upset.

It was a picture of her and Taylor, in the exact moment as he was handing her the large Eevee plushie. She was smiling, looking into his eyes and he was doing the same. From that angle, they really did look like a happy couple.

No wonder he was so jealous. If their roles had been reversed and that was Gary standing in that way with a girl, Leaf knew that she would have reacted in the exact same way.

"It's not what you think, come on, let's talk about this," she spoke calmly down the phone.

"There's nothing to talk about. I just don't know how much longer I can put up with all this. It's one scandal after the next with that fucking show!"

"I haven't done anything wrong!" she protested. "Don't believe everything the media feeds to you!"

"I don't what the fuck to believe anymore."

Leaf didn't say anything back to him as she ended the call. Part of her wanted to ask for his attention for just a little while longer, so she could spill everything to him about what has been happening here in this house, but she couldn't do that. Brendan was dangerous with the power he was currently holding against her and the others.

She knew he was the one who took those pictures; who else could have? She knew she was ready for yet _another_ confrontation. Upon turning the corner, she spotted him walking down the hall.

"Oi, you."

"What do you want?" he asked. Much to Leaf's dismay, Brendan had a slight look of amusement on his face.

"You took that picture of Taylor and I and posted it everywhere. That goes against everything we agreed on!"

"I never took it. That would go against our deal, wouldn't it?"

"Liar," she growled. "I'm calling the cops right now, for what you've done to all of us. I can't take this anymore, it's cruel!"

"And what have I done now?" he asked, a bored tone to his voice.

"Don't you dare! You've ruined both mine and Dawn's relationships and do you not remember what you did to May?"

"I didn't do anything. Prince Drew broke into my house so nothing happened, duh."

Leaf had never been so angry in her life. Brendan just didn't care, but she wasn't here to argue. She needed to find out something.

"If you didn't take the pictures then who took them?! It could have only been you, nobody else knew-"

"I heard that you girls were going to the Carnival today, so I may or may not have tipped off a few of my guys to be there too. That doesn't go against our deal, right? I didn't take those photos."

"Conniving bastard!" Leaf raged. He'd found a loophole in their agreement, and the smug look on his face told the entire story.

"Oh my. It's a shame Veronica's not here anymore. She would have loved to see this..."

Leaf turned around to see Ursula at the top of the stairs.

"What are you looking at?" Leaf spat.

"Oh, nothing. I'm simply passing by," she replied, her pink coloured hair swaying as she walked. It was tied in two low ponytails with an alice band keeping her hair out of her face.

"Don't talk like that," Leaf countered. "If you have something to say to me, please just come out and say it."

"Fine," Ursula smiled. "I guess I do have something to say. Cheating on your partner gets you nowhere; didn't you learn this from Dawn? She had the perfect boyfriend, yet she threw all that away for some morbid weirdo. Now even he doesn't want her and now she's all alone. Such a shame..."

"Leave Dawn out of this, she has nothing to do with it!" she replied coldly. "And I didn't cheat on Gary either!"

"Well he's clearly the jealous type. I doubt that he likes you being in close relations with other guys."

"Taylor and I weren't close, he helped me get a damn toy from a stall! It was the angle of the photo and the brainwashing of the media that's at fault here, he doesn't know what to believe! People are talking, he's angry, but-"

"Whatever," Ursula cut her off as walked in the direction of her room. "I'm bored of this conversation and I have a song to finish preparing. Goodbye."

Leaf stared after her as she left. She knew that she would never understand that girl, or her intentions, but Leaf had bigger things to be worrying about now. What was she going to do about Gary?

Something Misty said not too long ago was currently plaguing her mind.

_"This isn't fun anymore. This is a game of who can keep their pride for the longest. Dawn just lost the game. It'll be me next, or you two."_

She said this after the terrible breakup of Dawn and Paul, and Leaf knew she was right. This was a game. Dawn had lost the game, Leaf had most likely lost the game, and May...she was cheated out of the game before it could even begin.

Misty was the only one still in this. But for how long would she stay that way?

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><p><strong>Pallet Town - Kanto<strong>

"Fuck this!" Gary raged as Leaf cut him off the phone. He threw his phone on the floor like a child, before sitting back on the couch, his head in his hands.

Ash was on the phone to Misty in the kitchen, after finding out what happened to her at that Carnival today. Gary could hear what he was saying, and it hurt to listen. Just yesterday, he was talking to Leaf like that. Light, happy and flirty conversation. It was a beautiful place to be.

But now...why? He hated seeing her with other guys; the jealousy was too much to bear. Was he not good enough for her? Was she bored of him? Gary knew Leaf better than she knew herself. She was flitty and could be very unexpected in what she did, but she wasn't a cheater.

It just hurt. The fact that she would bring attention to herself like that; it felt like she was purposefully trying to hurt him.

"I'm just...really glad you're okay, Mist. If anything had happened to you, I swear, I-"

Hearing Ash's protective, loving voice from the other room made him feel even worse. Gary felt jealousy ooze over him. Nothing bad ever seemed to happen to Ash and Misty. They were such a stable couple, so happy with each other. No drama involved.

With Leaf, it had been drama from the beginning. She was stubborn and she wouldn't admit that she loved him. Then when their relationship happened, it was the best time of his life. Dancing with Leaf to a song of their childhood together like that was moment he would never forget.

Even later that day, when poor Amy broke down completely by trying to drive her car straight at Leaf. Gary had seen it happen before his very eyes, the fear that he had experienced in those couple of seconds was something that he would never forget. Leaf was safe in the end, but the panic he felt showed just how much he loved her.

"I love you, Mist. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you today."

Gary felt an invisible knife stab him in his heart. He knew. He loved Leaf so much, but their relationship wasn't healthy. For him to get so jealous this easily...he knew this wasn't like him. He wasn't happy. Could he really be with her like this? It was hurting him more than anything else, and it was making him miserable.

Maybe the kindest thing to do would be to let her go. Tiger Rose were so well-known now, surely the fame would get to her head and she'd change anyway.

It was simply a matter of time.

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><p><strong>Veilstone City<strong> **- Sinnoh**

Holding the tiny glass in the grip of his fingers, Paul showed no signs of hesitation as he necked back yet another shot of alcohol. It was strong, yet his face refused to falter. It was no big deal, it was how he coped in situations like this. Reggie was always there to stop him from doing it, but right now he wasn't here. He was working, getting their rent money.

Paul knew that he should find a job for himself to help his brother out, but he couldn't get himself out of this awful hole that he had willingly let himself fall into. Dawn was always on his mind. He couldn't stop thinking about her; constantly questioning the situation at hand. He wondered why she abused his trust and put herself in the spotlight. But Paul truly had no idea of what was occurring inside that house. Dawn lied in order to protect May from the eyes of the media.

The interesting thing was that Dawn didn't even know how bad May's issue with Brendan was, yet she sacrificed her own relationship for her anyway. She knew what she had to do. She took the fall, allowing Paul to think of her as an awful person.

And he did. He resented her. He thought she had thrown away everything they'd ever had, but Dawn couldn't protect everyone. Right there, in that moment, May needed her more. Dawn couldn't tell him about Brendan, despite not even knowing most of the terrifying facts herself.

But this was Dawn. Paul, on the other hand, knew absolutely nothing about Brendan. There was only one week left of this. After Sunday night, this year's Sing-Off would be over. Four made it to the final, yet only one could prevail in the end.

If Tiger Rose were to win, Paul knew he would most likely never see Dawn again. She would be whisked off to a life of fame and fortune, while Paul would remain in this hell hole that he couldn't seem to escape from.

This was life; something he had to accept. As abrupt as it was,he had ended their relationship and he wasn't about to go back. He was drinking to ease the pain and it never failed him.

Although another thought had crossed his mind at around the same time. There was something he wanted to do; something he hadn't done in a very long time. The urge was strong. Paul clumsily got up, knocking over the bottle on the floor. He mentally cursed himself before leaving the room altogether, his sights set on the stairs in front of him.

It was hidden in the attic; right at the top of his house. Paul found his way to the door before meekly opening it. It was still there, having been gathering dust for years. An old friend of his. Paul turned on the light and walked towards it, touching it to receive a hand full of dust. It was his old drum kit. Back when his parents were still alive, they'd bought this for him for one Christmas many years ago.

He loved it, he really did, gradually teaching himself how to play at the young age of 10. He was a fast learner with music, one of the few skills he found he possessed. He could play his dad's guitar too. Paul began to walk away from the attic as he heard the front door open; Reggie's voice announcing his return. He strolled into the living room to find his brother staring at a particular stain on the carpet.

"My bad," Paul sighed, remembering how knocked over his drink whilst standing up.

"Why have you been drinking again?" Reggie asked, a look of disappointment in his eyes. "I understand that you've been through a tough break-up but this is the real world now! You've got to get yourself together Paul!"

He ignored Reggie's plea and picked up what was left of his drink before walking to the stairs once more. Reggie stared after him, unsure of how to handle this.

After all, there was nothing he could say or do that would make him happy.

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><p><strong>LaRousse City - Hoenn<strong>

Emmy clasped her hands with Drew's as he looked away from her. He'd just finished telling her about what had happened with his mother and Emmy had never been so shocked in her entire life.

"It's going to be okay," she tried to smile, despite tears of her own rushing down her cheeks and blurring her vision. "I promise you! I'll do whatever it takes to help you guys."

"Em, you don't have to do that-"

"I do!" she exclaimed, perhaps a little too loudly. "You're my best friend Drew and I love Lia so much, she's like the little sister I always wanted. I won't let anyone take her away from you!"

"But if mom can't find a way to support us then people are going to notice! They'll know something's not right, the bills will keep on piling up, just like they are now and then social services will-"

"Listen to me," she cupped Drew's cheeks with her hands to stop him from talking. "That is not going to happen, stop getting ahead of yourself. We'll fix this."

"I'm sorry that I had to involve you like this..."

"Shut up right now," she whispered, hugging him tightly. "I'm involving myself. You and Lia are practically family, I'll help you in any way I can."

Drew said nothing for a few golden seconds as a flash of hope crossed over his mind. He knew how lucky he was to have Emmy in his corner, cheering for him every step of the day.

"You're amazing, Em," he smiled.

"I know, right?" she replied jokingly. "But I have to get going now, I have something very...uh...important that I have to do."

Drew laughed, he knew that she wanted to go home and watch one of her japanese shows. "So which one is it today?"

"You know me too well..." she smiled sheepishly. "It's about these really cute guys who make a swimming club at their school and then they run into one of their old teammates, but he hates them now! He goes to a different school so they're rivals but he has a lot of UST going on with the main character and it's so perfect! I was thinking of showing Lia, she would love it!"

"Fanservice..." Drew muttered.

"No, fanservice done RIGHT!" Emmy corrected him.

"Whatever, go home and watch your shitty swimmer boys playing in a pool together," Drew mocked, laughing as he spoke.

"Don't worry, I plan to," she giggled before giving him a solemn expression. "Are you sure you'll be okay here?" she asked.

"Yeah, I have to go and get Lia from school soon anyway," he replied.

"Alrighty! Tell her I'll come and see her very soon, k?" Emmy smiled brightly, before letting herself out of the house.

And just like that, everything went so quiet again. Drew was all alone, Lia was at school and he had no idea where his mom was, she'd left the house this morning without saying a word to him.

He picked up his phone and stared at it. Nothing. No calls, texts, _nothing_. This immediately struck him as unusual. He always had some kind of message from Paul; a few snapchats from Gary, and Ash was always talking to him.

Something wasn't right. A feeling of uncertainty struck him as he realised that he hadn't talked to any of them for at least a couple of days now. He didn't even realise; Drew was so hung up on his Mother's recent spiral that he just completely forgot to talk to any of them.

But the worst part was; they were all so quiet too.

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><p><strong>AN:** I am trash. Complete and utter trash. I cannot believe I haven't even looked at this in six months, let alone tried to post it ;v; I am so sorry for the delay. Really. I hate it when fics I love don't bother to update, yet I did the exact same thing -_-'

Rest assured, I've finally got my shit together and I've more-or-less figured out how this story is going to end (soon), and then after it's finished I'm going to attempt to rewrite the entire thing. If you do choose to review this chapter for me, then you are a wonderful person and I hope you have a great day :)

ALSO, (shameless plugging I know) but please check out my newest story, **Midori**! Chapter 2 will be up soon for those who are already reading ^_^


	34. Chapter 34: Caught

Sorry for the long wait, but an update is here now! This is where stuff begins to happen and yeah you'll see. Hope you enjoy!

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><p><strong>...<strong>

**Chapter 34: Caught**

**...**

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><p><strong>Ever Grande City - Hoenn<strong>

Leaf was a lover of the night. It was the only time where she could just close her eyes and block out the world around her, before eventually drifting off to sleep. It was her usual reassurance; but tonight was anything but usual. Every time she closed her eyes she could see Gary's face and hear his pain-stricken voice. It was awful, and she couldn't reassure herself about this.

Leaf sat up in her bed and her gaze quickly turned to Dawn, who was sleeping soundly. Even though it was dark, Leaf could see the used tissues which had dropped to the floor from her bed.

It pained Leaf more than anything to see her friend hurting in this way. Dawn had done some damn-right stupid things during her time in the competition, but Dawn's choice of May over Paul was one of the most selfless things Leaf had ever witnessed. She had every respect for Dawn in that way, and although she put on a brave face during the day, Dawn was only human. Those crumpled tissues merely served as evidence of that.

Her gaze flickered over to Misty, who was also asleep. Leaf felt a twinge of jealousy rise up within her, knowing that Misty was the only one of them who hadn't had any major issues with her relationship. Ash was sweet and kind and although he had dorky tendencies, he always put others before himself. Leaf had known him her whole life but he never failed to surprise her with his kindness.

Misty was so lucky to have that. Leaf's jealous feelings seemed to morph into feelings of awe; she knew just how lucky the couple were to have found each other, even under circumstances such as these.

"Treasure him forever and don't let him go, unless you have to," Leaf whispered in a voice so quiet, she wasn't sure if she heard it herself.

Her eyes flickered to May's bed, but she wasn't quite expecting to see the bed sheets messed up and above all, May herself was missing. Leaf hadn't quite managed to pick up on it before but their bedroom door was slightly ajar.

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><p>May had indeed left her room. She was perched on a stool at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, cupping a glass of water tentatively. Her brain refused to shut down, even at a time like 2:43am on a Thursday night.<p>

She couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen after SingOff was over. There was no way Brendan could control her outside of these walls, it just wasn't happening. But if that was to be true, then why was she so frightened? She had a knot in her stomach that was making her feel extremely uneasy.

The kitchen door opened quietly and May glanced up, wondering who else could possibly be awake at this time. It turned out to be the peach-haired girl, Ursula Urara. May allowed her gaze to drift back to her glass as Ursula opened the fridge door and took out a can of cola.

"Isn't it a little early for that?" May asked before she stop the words from tumbling out of her mouth.

"It's never too early," she replied, her tone softer than May expected it to be. She opened the can and took a sip, before sitting down next to May at the breakfast bar.

"Can't sleep either?" May asked, unsure of why Ursula was being so civil with her. She decided to just go with it, she wasn't the one who had a problem with Ursula after all.

"You got me."

The conversation halted to a quick stop. The room turned so quiet that May could hear even the tiniest of things like Ursula's breathing. There were so many things she didn't know about this girl, despite having lived with her for all this time. It was rather odd to think about.

"Can I ask you what's wrong, or would that be insensitive of me?"

May cast her eyes down once more. "Kinda," she muttered.

"I didn't expect you to tell me anyway," Ursula replied. She took another sip of her drink. "I haven't been particularly nice to anyone while I've been here."

May was shocked at this sudden burst of gentleness radiating from the girl. She'd only ever seen her with a smirk on her lips, walking around as if she owned the place. May had forgotten an important thing; Ursula was human too. She wasn't out to purposefully get anyone, she wasn't some sort of villain, but she sure knew how to act like one.

"Will you ever be able to forgive her?" May asked, knowing that Ursula would understand exactly who she meant.

After a moment of silence, Ursula spoke up again. "I think you should be asking her that question."

"All Dawn wants is to move on, and I know I had no involvement in your past but you have to let go, Ursula. I'm saying this for your benefit as well as hers."

"You think I don't know that?" she muttered. "I don't want to act like this anymore, it's not right. Every time I see her she just...gives me this look. I don't know what it is, perhaps pity? Hatred? Either way, it makes me realise that I deserve to be thought of as a nasty bitch. That's nothing compared to what I've done to her."

"You mean the blackmailing?" May replied.

"I just wanted the satisfaction of seeing Dawn screw up for once in her life. I didn't think she'd end up developing feelings for Paul as well..." Ursula let out a bittersweet laugh. "In the end, it was me who messed up and hurt everyone. I hurt Dawn, I hurt Paul, someone I don't even know, and I hurt Lucas. I hurt him the most. It's all my fault..."

May leant over to hug the girl, who was furiously wiping her eyes. "I won't deny that you fucked up," she spoke with a stern tone, "but it's not too late. Tell Dawn how you feel and surely that'll make the both of you feel better. She thinks you hate her."

"I never hated her. I was just jealous of her and now I've ruined everything for her."

"You know," May smiled. "It's pretty bad of me to say this, but during the time that Dawn was with Paul, I don't think I've ever seen her happier. I don't think you ruined her, you just unknowingly opened up a new path for her. Trust me, you aren't the reason things have gotten bad around here."

Ursula tapped her nails on the table, her facial features screwed up like she was thinking very carefully about something. "Hey, let me ask you something. What are you hiding, May?"

She was taken aback by the sudden question. "W...what?"

"I wasn't going to ask but I'm worried. Who is Brendan, why did you break up with him and why do you always look so frightened when he's around you?"

"I-"

May hadn't gotten further than a single letter before the door to the kitchen swung open. The knot in her stomach returned and a panicked gasp escaped her throat, bracing herself for him to be stood right there, having heard everything.

But it wasn't Brendan. It was Solidad.

Ursula narrowed her eyes, having watched May just now. "You really are terrified of him, aren't you..? What has he done to you?!"

May said nothing, fighting back tears. Ursula was making her remember things, thoughts that she wanted to repress forever. She willed herself to never remember the trauma of that night; the trauma that was their short-lived relationship.

"Don't shout at her, Ursula. I can take it from here."

"Please just tell her, Sol. She may be involved with what you've been searching for, you have to explain."

Sol? May was confused. She'd never seen Solidad and Ursula talking before, were they friends?

"I think it's time that I told you about myself," Solidad spoke as she walked over to stand between Ursula and May.

"I don't understand..." May replied. "You're Solidad; a contestant like us, right?"

"Wrong," she whispered, shaking her head. "I'm sorry for deceiving you."

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><p>It was around 3:45am when Brendan began to stir in his sleep yet again. He kept waking up and each time he would regain consciousness; a horrendous feeling would begin to pool in the depths of his stomach. Something wasn't right, he could feel it. His intuition never failed him, after all. Brendan chose not make a move until he heard tiny footsteps, quieter than those of a mouse, scurry past his room.<p>

He had to follow it. He had to reassure himself that there was nothing for him to worry about. SingOff would end on Saturday and he would cut all ties with the show and the contestants he had fooled all this time. He waited until the footsteps became faint and stepped out of his room, quietly heading downstairs. The living room was empty, but he could hear voices coming from the direction of the kitchen. Brendan pressed his ear to the door so he could make out the voices of the people inside.

The pool of dread in his stomach only became deeper, much to his demise.

_"Th...that's everything I have to tell you. I'm sorry, if I'd have known earlier I would have come to you straight away."_

That was May's voice. It was raspy and she stuttered as she spoke, she had been crying.

_"No, it's my fault for not trusting in your group enough to tell you. I made a wrong assumption."_

Was that Solidad? Brendan had a million questions running through his mind as he tried to make out the rest of their conversation.

_"Now she knows, she can finally do her job and get rid of that disgusting man."_

That was Ursula's voice, but Brendan wasn't thinking about that anymore. He broke out into a cold sweat and his hands were shaking as Ursula's words circled around his head. He was the only male here, who else could they possibly have been talking about.

_"Thank you, Officer,"_ May replied before the lady let out a chuckle.

_"Don't call me that, May. Just call me Solidad, like you always have done."_

With that, Brendan was gone. He ran up the stairs as fast as he could, knowing his actions were finally catching up to him. His plans were ruined, how was he to know that a COP of all people had also gone undercover in the competition? He had to get out of here before their conversation was over. He ran into his room, changed his clothes and shoved some money, his passport and a few other important items into a bag before leaving once more. However, there was somebody waiting for him in the hallway. He didn't have time to be stalled, not now!

"It's 4am, what are you doing?" the sleepy figure asked, narrowing her eyes as she yawned.

Brendan just stared at her with a panicked expression. "I lost. It's over, now get out of my way."

Leaf just blinked at him, confused as to what was happening. He was leaving? "Hah? The fuck are you talking about?"

She never got a reply. Brendan ran past her and darted down the stairs. Leaf was too tired to notice that he was attempting to escape. She'd just heard a noise coming from outside of her room which woke her up, it was only natural she would go to investigate. Unbeknownst to Leaf, Brendan had been found out. She followed him down the stairs and out of the front door. She knew that something wasn't right, she had to know where he was going. Something had happened that she knew nothing about, yet she just jumped straight into this situation completely blind.

One day her curiosity was really going to get the better of her.

* * *

><p>May couldn't believe what she was hearing. Solidad Saori wasn't a contestant for SingOff. She was a member of the Ever Grande police force, who had received an anonymous tip that someone had entered the national competition SingOff with bad intentions to mess things up and create media attention. For this particular case, she was employed by her bosses to enter the competition and try to sniff out this person before it was too late.<p>

However, after a few weeks it had been difficult for Solidad to deduce whether or not this person was still in the SingOff house. She also hadn't been particularly close with anyone as she had to remain impartial to every contestant. It hadn't been easy, but she kept herself in the competition and intended to see her mission out until the bitter end.

All this time she had looked forward to the end, and now the end was here. She had found the rat she had been searching for and had found out something even more horrifying about him from May. Now there was only one thing left to do with him.

"I can't believe you're an undercover cop, Solidad...I never would have guessed. You have such a beautiful voice."

Solidad smiled as May's kind words washed over her like calming waves on a sea shore. "Thank you," she replied.

"Stop stalling. I know it's like 4am or whatever but you must arrest him now, Sol. I don't have a good feeling about this, you can't leave it any longer!"

"Ursula..." Solidad muttered, before nodding her head. "You're right, let's go. I'm seeing this through to the end."

The three girls left the kitchen and walked up the stairs, but something was wrong. His door was open, and after a good look inside the ransacked room, they determined that Brendan must have known he was found out. There was no other reason as to why he would make such a hurried escape in such a short amount of time.

"We really were too late," Ursula deadpanned. She only had to glance at his room to work that out. How had he known this was going to happen? There was so much that Ursula wanted to know, but right now wasn't the time for questions.

"If he's left the house, that means we have to go after him right now!" May spoke with a sense of urgency.

"What's going on here? Why is everyone awake..."

Everyone turned around to see Dawn and Misty standing in the hallway, dazed and confused.

"There's no time to explain," Solidad answered calmly. "You can follow us or stay here, either way we have to go after him."

"Are you talking about Brendan?" Misty asked, having put two and two together in regards to the situation.

"Yep," Solidad replied. "Now hurry, I'll tell you everything after this."

Dawn and Misty were shocked by the initial suddenness of the situation, but they decided to place their trust in Solidad. Questions had to wait for now.

"Wait!" Dawn called, gesturing back to their room. "Leaf is sleeping still, is it okay to just leave her?"

"She'll be alright, we don't have time to wake her up now," Ursula replied, continuing down the stairs. Dawn nodded in response and followed the others down the stairs and out of the front door.

But Leaf wasn't in her bed. She'd done something irresponsible, having gone straight after Brendan on her own without an understanding of current events. Brendan had absolutely nothing to lose anymore, making him more dangerous than ever. There was no telling what he was capable of.

May knew this was the beginning of the end. She didn't care about anything other than helping Solidad see her mission through. She'd blocked out any other thoughts in her mind.

They were so close. He couldn't keep running forever, after all.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> Another chapter down! I'm sorry for the wait, I only finished college a week or so ago and I hadn't even started this chapter until then (as these past few weeks have been a pretty stressful time). It's done now, though so I hope you liked it! Only a couple of chapters left and I'm determined to finish it in the best way I can.

So what did you think? Was the Solidad plot twist any good? (I've had that idea in my head for a while now and I hope it turned out okay...). Please let me know in the reviews, I'd love to know what you all think!

-Lucy


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